Objective: To investigate the association between ACE gene (I/D) polymorphism and the presence of macroalbuminuria
among Thai patients with type 2 diabetes.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional case control study included unrelated 188 Thai subjects with type 2 diabetes. Study
subjects having diabetes for at least 10 years with normoalbuminuria and serum creatinine not exceeding 1.2 mg/dL were assigned as a control group (n = 94), and the study group was composed of type 2 diabetic patients who had macroalbuminuria (n = 94). The presence of ACE gene polymorphism was determined by PCR-gel electrophoresis.
Results: The distribution of II, ID and DD polymorphism did not significantly differ between study and control groups (II: 20.2%, ID: 40.4%, DD: 39.4%; and II: 25.5%, ID: 43.6%, DD: 30.9%, respectively). There was also no significant difference between allele frequencies of the I allele: 40.4% and 47.3% and the D allele in the study and control group: 59.6% and 52.7%, respectively.
Conclusion: A higher but not statistically significant frequency of D allele did not support an association in the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and macroalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. Further studies are required to identify genetic risk factors of DN in Thai patients.

Keywords: Macroalbuminuria, ACE gene, I/D polymorphism, Diabetic nephropathy