Introduction: The most important complication of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is secondary amyloidosis, which can lead to kidney failure. Genetic variability in the genes of various components of the renin-angiotensin system may play a role in the pathogenesis of the kidney disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene I/D variant and risk of developing FMF-related amyloidosis in Turkish patients.
Materials and methods: A total of 240 individuals consisting of 40 patients with FMF-related amyloidosis, 100 FMF patients without amyloidosis, and 100 healthy controls were recruited. For all of the participants, ACE I/D variant was detected by the polymerase chain reaction using specific primers.
Results: A significant difference was found between the patients with FMF-related amyloidosis and the control group as for genotype distribution of ACE I/D variant (P < .05). The ACE D/D and I/D genotypes were more frequent in the patients with FMF-related amyloidosis while the I/I genotype was less frequent in the same patients. The FMF patients (with and without amyloidosis) had significantly higher percentages of the D/D and I/D genotypes than the healthy controls (P < .05). Comparison between the subgroups of FMF patients, divided into those with and without amyloidosis, yielded a significant correlation according to ID+II versus DD genotypes (P < .03, odds ratio, 3.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 12.01). Conclusions. Based on these observations, the ACE I/D variant D/D genotypes implicate a possible risk in the FMF-related amyloidosis among Turkish population.