Association of vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms with nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic and vascular permeability factor, and its polymorphisms are associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and macular edema.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the contributions of VEGF gene polymorphisms to nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) as well as PDR.


METHODS
In this study we compared VEGF gene variants in a sample of Korean type 2 diabetes patients with and without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and in healthy controls. Of the diabetes patients, 145 had PDR, 108 had NPDR, and 134 had no retinopathy (noDR). They were all duration matched. Samples were genotyped for rs699947, rs1570360, and rs2010963 polymorphisms.


RESULTS
We found a significant association between the A allele at rs699947 with DR (odds ratio = 1.84 (95% confidence interval = 1.28-2.66); P = 0.001 vs. noDR). Patients with NPDR, as well as PDR, had increased incidence of the A allele. The AGG haplotype was more frequently found in patients with DR than in patients with noDR (odds ratio = 4.79 (95% confidence interval = 1.42-16.16); P = 0.006). PDR and NPDR patients exhibited an increased incidence of the AGG haplotype.


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF polymorphisms might be a useful predictive marker for the development and progression of DR at an earlier stage of diabetes.
Chun
Min-Young
MY
Department of Internal Medicine and Bioengineering, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul 471-020, Korea.
Hwang
Hwan-Sik
HS
Cho
Hee-Youn
HY
Chun
Ha-Jung
HJ
Woo
Jung-Taek
JT
Lee
Kwan-Woo
KW
Nam
Mun-Suk
MS
Baik
Sei-Hyun
SH
Kim
Young-Seol
YS
Park
Yongsoo
Y
D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A