Published in:
01-04-2016 | Original Article
GCKR polymorphism influences liver fat content in patients with type 2 diabetes
Published in: Acta Diabetologica | Issue 2/2016
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Aims
It has recently been shown that an allele in the glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) gene was associated with increased liver fat content in obese children. In this study, we set out to determine whether GCKR rs1260326 polymorphism was associated with liver fat content in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods
Three hundred and eight patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this study. Liver fat content was evaluated using 1H-MR spectroscopy.
Results
In our population, carriers of the rs1260326 minor T allele had a higher liver fat content than did carriers of the C allele homozygote (12.4 ± 9.6 vs. 10.3 ± 9.1 %, p = 0.03). The number of patients with steatosis was significantly higher in minor T allele carriers than in C allele homozygote carriers (70.7 vs. 55.4 %; p = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, the predictive variables for steatosis were BMI [odds ratio (OR) 1.08; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.13; p = 0.002], statin therapy (yes) [OR 0.54; 95 % CI 0.31–0.94; p = 0.03], metformin therapy (yes) [OR 2.67; 95 % CI 1.50–4.75; p < 0.001], and rs1260326 GCKR polymorphism (TT+CT) [OR 1.99; 95 % CI 1.14–3.47; p = 0.01].
Conclusions
This study shows that in patients with type 2 diabetes who were not selected for liver abnormalities, liver fat content was related to GCKR rs1260326 polymorphism independent of BMI, triglyceride levels, and age.