title: Contribution of gene polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system to macroangiopathy in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: The renin-angiotensin system is important in the control of hemodynamic status and pathogenesis of macrovascular disease, which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes with nephropathy. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensinogen (Atg) levels are related to their respective gene polymorphisms. Seventy patients with type 2 diabetes with overt nephropathy (serum creatinine >/= 1.5 mg/dL) were studied. Serum ACE activity was measured by the spectrophotometric method. ACE deletion/insertion (D/I) and Atg M235T genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Patients with and without macroangiopathy were compared. Those with macroangiopathy had increased ACE activity (median, 60.9 U/L; range, 37.9 to 100 U/L versus without macroangiopathy, 47.9 U/L; range, 11.2 to 84.5 U/L; P = 0.01) and prevalence of ACE DD/DI genotypes (DD/DI:II: with macroangiopathy, 61%:39% versus without macroangiopathy, 34%:66%; P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis using age; sex; duration of diabetes; glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid level control; serum creatinine level; and presence of the ACE D allele showed that presence of the D allele (P = 0.03; odds ratio, 1.8; confidence interval, 1.1 to 3.1) and serum creatinine level (P = 0.0007) were independent risk factors for macroangiopathy. Association of the D allele became insignificant after serum ACE activity was included in the analysis in which only serum ACE activity (P = 0.004) and serum creatinine level (P = 0.01) were independent risk factors. Neither Atg M235T nor its synergistic effect with the ACE D allele showed an association with macroangiopathy. In conclusion, the ACE D allele is associated with macroangiopathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes with nephropathy. The association is dependent on its effect on serum ACE activity, which is an independent risk factor for the development of macroangiopathy.
authors: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors: T Y
authors: TY
authors: Wong
authors: C C
authors: CC
authors: Szeto
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Chow
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Chan
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000235:genetics; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000808:Angiotensinogen; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A