ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is one of theleading non-communicable disorders, leading tovarious complications viz. cardiovascular diseases,retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy and peripheralvascular disorders. Diabetic Nephropathy (DN)patients further develop into End Stage Renal Disease(ESRD) and they have to undergo the repeated bloodtransfusions, increasing the social and economicburden. The number of risk factors are known forcausation of diabetic nephropathy including theenvironmental, biochemical as well as genetic factors.The association of nephropathy with various genes hasbeen proved. Aim and Objectives: In the present studywe attempted to check the association ofInsertion/Deletion (I/D) polymorphism of AngiotensinConverting Enzyme (ACE) in diabetic patients withand without nephropathy and also with thebiochemical markers. Material and Methods: Eachgroup consisted of 110 individuals viz. diabetics withand without nephropathy and age and gender matchedhealthy controls. Results: The determination of I/Dpolymorphism by polymerase chain reaction revealedthe significant increased 'D' allele frequencies inpatients of diabetes with and without nephropathy thanthe controls, while no significant difference was notedin genotype frequencies. The odds ratios for thispolymorphism were calculated to be 1.84 and 2.41 forDM and DN respectively in comparison with thehealthy controls. The regression analysis indicated I/Dpolymorphism is associated positively with all thelipid parameters, except High Density LipoproteinCholesterol (HDL-C) which was negatively associatedwith the polymorphism. The levels of lipid parameterswere also significantly increased in patients of diabeteswith and without nephropathy carriers for 'D' allelethan the patients having 'I' allele, while the level ofHDL-C was significantly decreased. Conclusion: Theconclusion can be made from these results that, thepresence of I/D polymorphism of ACE may increasethe risk of development of nephropathy in generalpopulation, with the role of 'D' allele in its causation,along with its effect on the biochemical markers.