title: A1/A2 polymorphism of the glycoprotein IIIa gene and diabetic retinopathy in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A PlA1/A2 polymorphism of glycoprotein IIIa is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis, myocardial infarction, stroke and type 2 diabetes, but there is no evidence of association with diabetic retinopathy. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the PlA1/A2 polymorphism of the glycoprotein IIIa gene in the development of diabetic retinopathy in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 222 patients with diabetic retinopathy and 120 diabetic subjects without clinical signs of diabetic retinopathy from the Eye Clinic, University Medical Centre Ljubljana were enrolled in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fundus examination and blood biochemical analysis were performed. The polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein levels, fasting blood glucose and HbA(1c) were measured, and the genotypes of the PlA1/A2 polymorphism were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with diabetic retinopathy had earlier onset, longer duration of type 2 diabetes and a higher incidence of insulin therapy compared to the diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy. A significantly lower frequency of the A2A2 genotype of glycoprotein IIIa was found in diabetic patients with retinopathy compared to those without retinopathy (odds ratio = 0.49, 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.89; P = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The A2A2 genotype of the glycoprotein IIIa polymorphism was associated with lower risk for diabetic retinopathy in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes. Further studies are needed to elucidate its protective role in the development of diabetic retinopathy in Caucasians.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Histology and Embryology, University of Ljubljana Eye Clinic, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jovana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nikolajević-Starčević
authors.forename: Mojca Globočnik
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Petrovič
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petrovič
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D039661:Integrin beta3 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D039661:Integrin beta3; D014280:Triglycerides; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human