['To establish whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile) of the toll-like receptor 4 have an association with late diabetic complications.', 'The study was conducted in 246 type 1 and 530 type 2 diabetic patients. The alleles of both polymorphisms were detected using PCR and subsequent cleavage by NcoI and HinfI restriction endonucleases.', 'No difference was found between type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients in the prevalence of alleles of the Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms. In most cases, the alleles Gly299 and Ile399 occurred in a co-segregatory manner. The prevalence of the Gly299/Ile399 haplotype was 10.6 and 12.1% in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, respectively (P = 0.63). No association with diabetic nephropathy or diabetic neuropathy was found in type 1 diabetic patients. In type 2 diabetic patients, however, heterozygote carriers of the Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile genotypes had a significantly reduced prevalence of diabetic neuropathy (odds ratio 0.35 [95% CI 0.19-0.61]; P = 0.0002); no association with diabetic nephropathy was found.'] Are asp299Gly and Thr399Ile genotypes of the TLR4 gene associated with a reduced prevalence of diabetic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes?