THE I/D POLYMORPHISM OF ACE GENE IN CHILDREN
WITH HENOCH - SCHÖNLEIN PURPURA (HSP)
Brodkiewicz A, 1Ciechanowicz A, Peregud-Pogorzelski J, 1Urbańska
A, 2Dzieński P, Woźniak S, Fydryk J
Ist
Department of Paediatrics, Clinical Biochemistry
Department1 and Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry2, Pomeranian
Medical University, Poland
HSP may cause severe impairment in
renal function including chronic renal insufficiency. The aim of the study
was to evaluate the correlation between I/D polymorphism of ACE gene and
renal function in children with previous history of HSP. A group of 32
children were included in the study; the patients aged 12 to 180 months at
diagnosis. Thorough clinical examination, biochemical investigation and
radiological imaging were performed in all studied children. The ACE
genotypes were determined using PCR. Control group consisted of 32 healthy
patients of the same age and sex. Statistically significant difference
(p<0.05) was only found between the incidence rate of renal manifestations
at diagnosis of HSP in boys (14/15 – 93.3%) and in girls (10/17-
58.8%). In 8/32 (25%) of
children DD genotype, in 14/32 (43,8%) - II genotype and in 10/32 (31,2%)
ID genotype of ACE gene were observed. Genotype DD was confirmed in 3/32
(9,4%) , genotype II in 13/32 (40,6%), and genotype ID in 16/32 (50%) of
the studied controls. No statistically significant differences were found
between the incidence rates of ACE genotypes between the groups and in
regard to sex, number of recurrences, skin, joint, gastrointestinal or
renal manifestations, serum creatinine or urea levels, GFR values or
arterial pressure values. The authors would like to underline the lack of
clear-cut correlation between the polymorphism of ACE gene and renal
function in children with previous history of HSP in their material. The
results could be influenced by the small number of investigated patients
mainly due to loss of patients available for follow-up studies. Further
investigations in the large group of children seem to be essential.