Diabetes duration may modify the association between genetic variation in the glycoprotein Ia subunit of the platelet collagen receptor and risk of severe diabetic retinopathy: a working hypothesis.
Genetic factors appear to contribute to the severity and progression of diabetic retinopathy. We assessed the associations of the C807T and Glu505Lys variants of the glycoprotein Ia (alpha(2) integrin) subunit of the platelet/endothelial collagen receptor and risk of retinopathy in a population-based survey of 288 diabetic patients in one Swedish community. Neither variant was associated with retinopathy risk overall. However, the 807T variant was associated with increased risk of severe retinopathy, and the association was modified by diabetes duration. Among patients with diabetes of longer duration (>/=25 years), the 807T variant was strongly associated with risk of severe retinopathy (odds ratio 7.49, 95% confidence interval 1.75 to 32.1). There was no association between the 807T variant and risk of severe retinopathy among patients with diabetes duration