Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and polyneuropathy in type 2 diabetes without macroalbuminuria

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism is thought to be a potent risk factor for nephropathy and retinopathy in diabetes. We investigated the association between polyneuropathy and gene polymorphisms of both the ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) and angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T genes in 84 type 2 diabetic patients without macroalbuminuria (21 with polyneuropathy and 63 without). ACE genotype distribution did not differ significantly between patients with and without polyneuropathy, but the frequency of the 1 allele was significantly higher in those with polyneuropathy than in those without. In contrast, neither the genotype distribution nor the allele frequencies of the AGT gene differed between the two groups. In logistic regression analysis using a D-additive model, the D allele had a protective effect on polyneuropathy (odds ratio [OR], 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13 - 0.88). A D-dominant model hypothesis also gave a significant OR (0.28; 95% CI, 0.09 - 0.90). ACE I/D polymorphism, but not AGT M235T polymorphism, may affect polyneuropathy development in type 2 diabetes without macroalbuminuria.