The acetylator phenotypes of Saudi Arabian diabetics.

There is a significant association between the rapid acetylator phenotype and diabetes in European populations. Diabetes is a common problem in Saudi Arabians with some clinical features differentiating it from the disorder in Europeans. A series of 100 Saudi diabetics and 100 Saudi controls has been acetylator phenotyped. The controls showed 33 rapid acetylators (R) and 67 slow acetylators (S), a result closely similar to that previously published for the Saudi population. Overall the diabetics showed 27 R and 73 S which is not significantly different from the controls. The type I diabetics, however, showed two R and 22 S which is not only significantly different from the controls and the type II diabetics, but also the reverse of the association found in European populations.