The relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND

To assess the role of serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels and ACE insertion /deletion (I/D) genetic polymorphism in Turkish age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients and control subjects.

METHODS

This prospective study consisted of 78 patients with AMD and 68 control subjects. The I/D polymorphism of the ACE was carried out by polymerase chain reaction. Serum ACE levels were determined by using the ELISA method.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the mean serum values of ACE between the control and patient groups (p = 0.107). The genotypic frequencies of ACE polymorphism in the control and patient groups were not significantly different either (p = 0.218).

CONCLUSIONS

We could not show a significant role of serum ACE levels and ACE I/D genetic polymorphism in the etiopathogenesis of AMD in the Turkish population, and our findings did not support the idea that serum ACE levels and ACE DD genotype were risk factors for AMD.