Binary logistic regression displays that the association of the ACE and AGT gene polymorphisms in DR patients is not significant after adjusting for confounding covariates in all the comparisons.
Angiotensin II (Ang II), an active component of the RAS is increased in diabetic retina, and may play a significant role in neurovascular damage leading to the progression of DR.
Despite evidence that hyperactivity of the vasodeleterious axis (ACE/angiotensin II (Ang II)/AT1 receptor) of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is associated with the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR) use of the inhibitors of this axis has met with limited success in the control of this pathophysiology.
There is increasing interest in a pathogenetic role for angiotensin II in ischaemic retinopathies such as diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity.
In a Dutch IDDM population, including 69 patients with (incipient) diabetic nephropathy, the T-allele of the AGT-M235T polymorphism is associated with an elevated UAE and diabetic retinopathy and the CC-genotype of the AT1-A1166C polymorphism is associated with hypertension.