Human leukocyte antigen class II genetic variants are highly associated with rheumatic heart disease in Yemeni patients

To investigate the association of rheumatic heart disease [RHD] with human leukocyte antigen [HLA] class II alleles in Yemeni patients Case control study Al-Thawra Modern General Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen One hundred RHD patients [case group] and 50 healthy subjects [control group] were recruited in this study. Echocardiography was used to include RHD patients [abnormal echocardiography] and healthy subjects [normal echocardiography]. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 polymorphisms were genotyped by sequence-specific oligonucleotide-probe polymerase chain reaction [PCRSSOP] reverse dot blot hybridization. The results showed that HLADRB1*07 and HLADQB1*0203 allele as risk factors for RHD [OR = 4.0; 8.7, p = 0.005; 0.02, respectively]. In contrast, the HLADRB1*11, HLADQB1*0305 and HLADQB1*0602 alleles showed a protective association against RHD [OR = 0.32; 0.23; 0.24, p = 0.01; 0.03; 0.01, respectively]. HLA class II genetic variants were a predisposing factor for development of RHD in Yemeni people. This study also replicated the association of HLADRB1*07 with RI-ID and suggested that HLADQB1*0203 allele is a risk factor for RHD

Comparison of adults with insulin resistance (IR) in latent autoimmune diabetes versus IR in glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody-negative diabetes

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Insulin resistance in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) patients is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate insulin resistance and its related factors (metabolic syndrome parameters) among subjects with LADA and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA) negative diabetes, as well as the impact of these factors on insulin resistance.</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>GADA levels were investigated in 1140 diabetic patients aged between 30 and 70 years. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome parameters were assessed in LADA and GAD-negative diabetic patients by general linear model. In addition, the impact of metabolic syndrome factors on insulin resistance was assessed in LADA and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-negative diabetic patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>LADA was diagnosed in 33 subjects from 1140 Malaysian diabetic patients (prevalence = 2.9%). The results showed that LADA patients had higher insulin resistance and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) (P = 0.003 and 0.00017 respectively) and lower body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.007) compared to GAD-negative diabetic patients. The HDLc was associated with decreased insulin resistance in LADA patients (P = 0.041), whereas HbA1c, triacylglycerides (TG) and waist were associated with increased insulin resistance in GAD-negative diabetic patients (P = 3.6×10⁻¹², 1.01×10⁻⁵ and 0.004 respectively). HbA1c was highly associated with decreasing β-cell function in both LADA (P = 0.009) and GAD-negative diabetic subjects (P = 2.2×10⁻²⁸).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Insulin resistance is significantly higher in LADA than GAD-negative diabetic Malaysian subjects.</p>

KCNQ1 variants associate with type 2 diabetes in Malaysian Malay subjects

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Type 2 diabetes (T2D) candidate gene: potassium voltage-gated channel, KQT-like subfamily, member 1 (KCNQ1) was suggested by conducting a genome wide association study (GWAS) in Japanese population. Association studies have been replicated among East Asian populations; however, the association between this gene and T2D in Southeast Asian populations still needs to be studied. This study aimed to investigate the association of KCNQ1 common variants with type 2 diabetes in Malaysian Malay subjects.</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>The KCNQ1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs2237892, rs2283228, and rs2237895 were genotyped in 234 T2D and 177 normal Malay subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The risk allele of the rs2283228 (A) was strongly associated with T2D (OR = 1.7, P = 0.0006) while the rs2237892 (C) was moderately associated with T2D (OR = 1.45, P = 0.017). The recessive genetic models showed that rs2283228 was strongly associated with T2D (OR = 2.35, P = 0.00005) whereas rs2237892 showed a moderate association with T2D (OR = 1.69, P = 0.01). The haplotype block (TCA), which contained the protective allele, correlated with a protection from T2D (OR = 0.5, P = 0.003). Furthermore, the diplotype (CAA-TCA) that contained the protective haplotype was protected against T2D (OR = 0.46, P = 0.006).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The KCNQ1 SNPs, haplotypes and diplotypes are associated with T2D in the Malaysian Malay subjects.</p>