Abstract

Background: Atopic asthma begins with exposure to allergens causing airway hyperresponsiveness and chronic inflammation. Angiotensin II involved in the pathogenesis of atopic asthma by causing airway hyperresponsiveness. Angiotensin II levels are influenced by the levels of ACE and ACE levels are influenced by I / D ACE gene polymorphisms. Study about the role of I/D ACE gene polymorphism in the incidence and severity of asthma in several countries and etnic showed inconsistency result. Study in Indonesian subjects had never been reported.
Method: This Case-control study aimed to evaluate influence of I/D ACE gene polymorphism in incidence and severity of atopic asthma. Eighty subjects aged 15-50 years including Forty non–asthmatic and Forty atopic asthmatic patients were included in this study..
Result: DD genotype with atopic asthma (85.7%) was higher than non atopic asthma (14,3%). Non-DD genotype (ID,II) with atopic asthma (46.6%) was lower than atopic asthma (53.4%). DD genotype of the ACE gene had risk 6.8 times to become atopic asthma than non-DD genotype (OR=6.8,p=0.05). DD genotype of ACE gene was not a risk factor for severe obstruction (OR=0.50, p=0.48) and uncontrolled atopic asthma compared to non-DD genotype (OR = 1.8,p=0.49)
Conclusions: This study concluded that DD genotype of ACE gene was a risk factor for the incidence of atopic asthma but not a risk factor for severe obstruction and uncontrolled atopic asthma.

Key words: Polymorphism, ACE gene, atopic asthma, severe obstruction, uncontrolled asthma