A Native American genetic heritage appears to increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy among Latino Americans with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) Eye Institute say they have discovered one of the causes that increase the incidence of diabetic retinopathy among Latino Americans in comparison with Whites or African Americans.
They studied data from 944 Latino Americans aged 40 and over with type 2 diabetes, 135 of whom suffered from retinopathy. Typically, Latino Americans have a genetic background that includes genes of Native American, European and African origin. Researchers noted that individuals whose genealogy consisted of more than 50% Native American ancestry had an 87% higher chance of developing the disease.
The next step is to try to identify which genes of Native American origin contribute to the increased risk of developing severe diabetic retinopathy, says Xiaoyi Gao, the main author of the article which was published recently on the website of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.
Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140821132653.htm
