title: Haptoglobin polymorphism in individuals with type 2 diabetic microangiopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Haptoglobin is an acute phase protein with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. Gene polymorphism may be a risk factor for diabetic vascular disease in Iranian population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study investigates the existence or not of an association between haptoglobin genotypes and prevalence of diabetic microangiopathy in individuals with type 2 diabetic microangiopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 206 type 2 diabetic patients (<5 years duration) categorized into two groups according to the presence or absence of diabetic microvascular complications. The cases of interest were diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy identified during clinical and or laboratory examination. In addition, 114 age- and sex-matched individuals were selected to serve as a control group. Haptoglobin genotyping was done using an amplification gel electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of haptoglobin phenotype 2-1 in diabetic patients was 70/206 (33.9%) as compared with 54/114 (47.3%) in nondiabetics (P = 0.01). However, the frequency of haptoglobin phenotype 2-2 was greater in diabetics (126/114, 61.1%) than in those without diabetes (56/114, 49.1%; P = 0.02). Patients with diabetic microangiopathy; however, did not differ significantly between haptoglobin phenotype groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Haptoglobin phenotype 2-2 is considered to be a major susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetic patients. Moreover, haptoglobin phenotype 2-1may be good prognostic factors for the development of diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran ; Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center and Medical Faculty, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ahmadzadeh
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.forename: Mohammad Bagher
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hashemi-Soteh
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Haghshenas
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daneshvar
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rastegar
authors.forename: Toraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farazmand
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic microvascular complications; Genetic polymorphisms; Haptoglobin genotypes