Angiotensin-I-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and high urinary albumin concentration in French Type 2 diabetes patients

Aims Family-based studies suggest a genetic basis for nephropathy in Type 2 diabetes. The angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is a candidate gene for Type 1 diabetes nephropathy. We assessed the association between high urinary albumin concentration and ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, in French Type 2 diabetes patients. Methods We studied 3139 micro/macroalbuminuric French patients recruited in the DIABHYCAR Study, an ACE inhibition trial in Type 2 diabetes patients with renal and cardiovascular outcomes. The main inclusion criteria were age ≥ 50 years, urinary albumin concentration ≥ 20 mg/l assessed centrally during two consecutive screening visits, and plasma creatinine concentration ≤ 150 µmol/l. These patients were compared with 605 normoalbuminuric (NA; urinary albumin concentration