Metabolic impact of the VDR rs1544410 in diabetic retinopathy.

Aims: To investigate the association between BsmI and DM2 in patients with and without DR and to correlate with clinical parameters in a population in northeastern Brazil.

Methods: Cross-sectional case-control study in which data were collected from 285 individuals, including 128 patients with DM2 and 157 with DR. Clinical, biochemical and anthropometric parameters were analyzed, in addition to the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) BsmI of the VDR gene (rs1544410), genotyped by PCR-RFLP.

Results: In the DR group we found a greater number of patients using insulin therapy (p = 0.000) and with longer duration of DM2 (p = 0.000), in addition to higher serum creatinine values (p = 0.001). Higher fasting glucose levels and higher frequency of insulinoterapy were independently observed in patients with DR and b allele carriers, when compared to BB.

Conclusion: The association of the bb/Bb genotypes (rs1544410) of the VDR gene with increased blood glucose levels and insulinoterapy may represent worse glicemic control in rs1544410 b allele carriers in DR Latin American individuals.