Haptoglobin Polymorphism and Diabetic Nephropathy: A Study among the Bengalee Hindus of West Bengal

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is a multifactorial disease that is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, metabolic alterations and may be influenced by genetic factors. Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein which forms 1% of the total plasma mass. The aim of the present study is to understand the association between Hp gene polymorphism and occurrence of diabetic nephropathy among the Bengalee hindus of west Bengal. A total of 87 nephropathic patients and 106 controls were recruited for the present study. Majority of the patients (79.72%) had Hp2-2 phenotype, a person having Hp2-2 phenotype are 1.89 times (95% CI 1.17-2.54) more likely to develop diabetic nephropathy than with persons with Hp2-1. Hp 2-2 phenotype is considered to be a major susceptibility gene for the development of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients. Haptoglobin phenotype is a significant predictor in diabetic nephropathy that demonstrates from case-control study. Hence, Hp phenotype determination can be used as a significant predictor for early prognosis of diabetic nephropathy among the Bengalee Hindus of West Bengal.