ASSOCIATION OF THE ACE2 GENE POLYMORPHISM IN DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 (DM2)-COVID-19 PATIENTS IN IRAQ

This study was directed to investigate the outcomes of the demographic characteristics, and ACE2 (rs879922) gene polymorphism risks factors for Covid-19 in patients in comparison with healthy people. Eighty people were involved with this study, 60 patients with Covid-19 and 20 healthy people were the control group. The demographic characteristics of patients and control subjects included the age, residency, and gender of people. Our findings were recorded that patients and control subjects displayed no significant difference in mean age (P = 0.277). For a second time, the frequency distribution of patients and control subjects according to age was not a significant difference (P = 0.598), gender (P = 0.299), residency (P = 0.093), occupations (p= 0.219), and smoking (P = 0.519). however, marital status was exhibited that married people are significantly higher infection with COVID-19 more than single people (P = 0.008). The association between ACE2 (rs879922) gene polymorphism and risk factor of Covid-19 was revealed that heterozygous genotype CG of patients' group was more frequent in comparison with control group, but the difference was non-significant (P=0.253), while the homozygous genotype GG was more frequent in patients group in comparison with the control group, and also but the difference was significant (P = 0.002). Also, the association between ACE2 rs879922 allele polymorphism and risk of Covid-19 was displayed that allele G has more frequent in the patients' group compared with the control group, and the difference was highly significant (P = 0.001). Also, diabetic Mellitus and hypertension disease increased the risks factor for COVID-19, but it was not significant. Overall, the demographic characteristics of patients have no effect on people infected with COVID-19, but the married status has more risk factors on patients. Besides, the heterozygous genotype CG and allele G of ACE2 (rs879922) gene polymorphism have more influence on patients and are a high-risk factor for susceptibility infection of COVID-19. In addition, the association of alleles of ACE2 rs879922 and MD and hypertension cases could be increased risk factor infection of the COVID-19.