Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphisms in renal disease: clinically relevant?

The most recent studies of the effect of polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene on the pathogenesis of renal diseases and the response to treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors continue to produce conflicting results. Large prospective studies are required before angiotensin-converting enzyme genotyping will provide information that will assist in the assessment of prognosis and response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment in individual patients. Until such studies are performed, all patients with chronic renal disease, regardless of angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype, should be considered candidates for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy.