Meta-analysis of the relationship between common type 2 diabetes risk gene variants with gestational diabetes mellitus

PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45882. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045882. Epub 2012 Sep 24.

Abstract

Background: A number of case-control studies were conducted to investigate the association of common type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk gene polymorphisms with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, these studies have yielded contradictory results. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the association between these polymorphisms and GDM, hence achieve a better understanding to the relationship between T2D and GDM.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, ISI web of science and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. Data were abstracted independently by two reviewers. A meta-analysis was performed to examine the association between 9 polymorphisms from 8 genes and susceptibility to GDM. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity among articles and their publication bias were also tested.

Results: We identified 22 eligible studies including a total of 10,336 GDM cases and 17,445 controls. We found 8 genetic polymorphisms were significantly associated with GDM in a random-effects meta-analysis. These polymorphisms were in or near the following genes: TCF7L2 (rs7903146), MTNR1B (rs10830963), IGF2BP2 (rs4402960), KCNJ11 (rs5219), CDKAL1 (rs7754840), KCNQ1 (rs2237892 and rs2237895) and GCK (rs4607517); while no association was found for PPARG with GDM risk. Similar results were also observed under dominant genetic model for these polymorphisms.

Conclusions: This meta-analysis found 8 genetic variants associated with GDM. The relative contribution and relevance of the identified genes in the pathogenesis of GDM should be the focus of future studies.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics*
  • Diabetes, Gestational / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genes
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Pregnancy
  • Risk

Grants and funding

No current external funding sources for this study.