Insertion/deletion polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene associated with macroangiopathy and blood pressure in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

• Published in: Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 1995-06, Vol.73 (6), p.307-311
• Main Authors: UKKOLA, O, SAVOLAINEN, M. J, SALMELA, P. I, VON DICKHOFF, K, KIEMA, T, KESÄNIEMI, Y. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Associated diseases and complications; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - enzymology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - genetics; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic Angiopathies - enzymology; Diabetic Angiopathies - genetics; Electrocardiography; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Phenotype; Polymorphism, Genetic; Risk Factors; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 0946-2716; 1432-1440
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00231617

In the search for new risk factors for diabetic macroangiopathy the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene was studied in 237 consecutive patients (125 men and 112 women) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The female population showed an excess of ischemic electrocardiographic changes or definite myocardial infarctions in the patients homozygous for the deletion [D/D; odds ratio (OR) 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-5.3] and in the insertion/deletion heterozygotes (I/D; OR 1.8; CI 1.1-3.1) compared with the patients homozygous for the insertion (I/I). In the total series coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and claudication were more often observed in the patients with I/D (OR 1.5; CI 1.0-2.2) or the D/D genotype patients (OR 1.7; CI 1.1-2.6) than in those with the genotype I/I. The systolic blood pressure was lower in patients with genotype I/I (138 +/- 19 mmHg) than in those with the genotype I/D (149 +/- 22 mmHg) or D/D (150 +/- 21 mmHg; P < 0.02). The prevalence of hypertension and the median urinary albumin excretion rate also tended to be lowest in the I/I genotype patients. Multiple logistic analysis revealed that in women the angiotensin-converting enzyme D/D genotype is independently associated with coronary heart disease. Our findings suggest that variation at the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene locus is one of the factors involved in the predisposition of diabetic patients to the development of arterial disease and hypertension.