Acetylator phenotypes and type I (insulin-dependent) diabetics with microvascular disease.

We have investigated the acetylator dimorphism in 55 type I (insulin-dependent) diabetics. The frequency of the fast phenotype (49%) was higher than in the general Northern European population (37%). Although this difference was not significant (chi squared = 2.64, P = 0.1) the combination of our data with data from two other studies produced a significant positive association between the fast acetylator phenotype and type I diabetes (P = 0.00013, relative risk = 2.0). These findings lend support to the concept that more than one genetic locus may be involved in the susceptibility to type I diabetes. No association was found between acetylator phenotypes and diabetic complications.