Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and treatment response in type 2 diabetic patients.
BACKGROUND
Our objective was to determine whether the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion-deletion (ACE I/D) polymorphism affects the treatment responses in type 2 diabetic patients.


METHODS
A total of 117 type 2 diabetic patients with poor metabolic control were evaluated and their treatment intensified before re-evaluation after a mean follow-up of 16.0 months. New insulin treatment was started in 61% of patients, the majority of whom used a combination of insulin and tablets. Earlier insulin treatment was continued and intensified for 9% of patients, and 19% of patients used oral treatment only. As antihypertensive treatment, 34% of patients used diuretics, 27% ACE-inhibitors, 38% beta-blockers and 21% calcium-channel blockers during the follow-up. For dyslipidemia, 6% of patients used fibrates and none used statins.


RESULTS
There was a decrease in glycohemoglobin A1 levels [-2.0 (0.3) (S.E.) %], plasma total cholesterol [-0.2 (0.1) mmol/l] and plasma triglycerides [-1.2 (0.4) mmol/l], and an increase in plasma HDL cholesterol [0.07 (0.02) mmol/l] and weight [2.1 (0.5) kg] in response to intensified treatment. The changes in glycohemoglobin A1 (GHbA1) levels and HDL cholesterol were significantly associated with the ACE I/D polymorphism. The patients with the ACE I/I genotype had a greater decrease [-3.0 (0.7)] in their GHbA1 levels than the patients with I/D [-2.1 (0.5)] or D/D [-1.8 (0.4)] genotypes (P<0.03). HDL cholesterol levels increased more among the subjects homozygous for the I allele [0.21 (0.05)] than the I/D [0.04 (0.03)] or D/D [0.04 (0.03)] subjects (P<0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the ACE I/D polymorphism is associated with treatment responses in type 2 diabetic patients.
Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5000, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland.
Johanna
J
Salonen
Y Antero
YA
Kesäniemi
Olavi
O
Ukkola