INTRODUCTION

The relationship between the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and psoriasis has previously been studied mainly in Caucasians and only once in Asians. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between the ACE I/D polymorphism and the risk of psoriasis in a Chinese population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study population consisted of 668 psoriasis patients and 668 matched control subjects. The ACE I/D gene polymorphism was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

RESULTS

The frequency of the ACE II genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06, 1.63; P = 0.01) and I allele (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.48; P = 0.01) in patients with psoriasis was significantly higher than that in the control group. And the D allele frequency in patients with psoriasis was significantly lower (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.68, 0.95; P = 0.01) than that in the control group. When stratified by family history, the frequency of the DD genotype was marginally significantly lower in patients with a positive family history of psoriasis (familial psoriasis) than in those with negative (sporadic psoriasis) (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.23, 0.97; P = 0.04). When stratified by onset of the disease, type of psoriasis and the severity of psoriasis, no statistically significant result was observed.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that the ACE II genotype and I allele might confer susceptibility to psoriasis in a Chinese population.