Abstract
We studied the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene in 78 patients with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), and examined the renal function comprised of dimercaptosuccinate (DMSA) renoscintigraphy and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) renogram in each genotype.
Patients were classified in three genotypes according to the ACE gene I⁄ D polymorphisms: 32 in II genotype, 36 in ID and 10 in DD. The incidence of presumably congenital unilateral small kidneys were high in DD patients (70%). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) obtained from DTPA renogram was 120.7±35.7ml/min (expressed as mean±SD) in II genotype, 111.7±33.3 in ID and 88.0±18.0 in DD. Quantitative DMSA tracer total uptake of both kidneys was also low in patients with the D allele.
This study shows that the D allele of ACE gene is closely related with congenital small kidneys with refluxing ureters in patients with primary VUR, and in accordance with previous reports, this allele also relates to the progression of reflux nephropathy.
