Association of a 27-bp repeat polymorphism in intron 4 of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase gene with serum uric acid levels in Chinese subjects with type 2 diabetes.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional case-control genetic association study
PubMed 14624405 · doi:10.1016/s0026-0495(03)00258-0
What was done
Cross-sectional genetic association study evaluating 800 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and 398 nondiabetic control subjects to assess whether serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations correlate with a 27-bp repeat polymorphism in intron 4 of the endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene. Genotypes were determined via polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analyses included group comparisons, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression.
What was found
Mean SUA in patients with type 2 diabetes was 6.1 +/- 1.8 mg/dL compared to 6.6 +/- 1.8 mg/dL in controls (P < .001). Diabetic patients with ecNOS ab/aa genotypes had lower mean SUA than those with the bb genotype (5.7 +/- 1.6 mg/dL vs 6.2 +/- 1.8 mg/dL, P = .008). In subgroup and multiple linear regression analyses, ecNOS genotype was an independent contributor to SUA variability specifically in female diabetic patients.
Why it matters
The findings link ecNOS gene variation to circulating uric acid levels, supporting a possible genetic influence of nitric oxide activity on uric acid regulation in diabetic patients.
Limits
Cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Direct nitric oxide activity, xanthine oxidase levels, and medication usage were not reported. The sample was restricted to Chinese individuals, and the independent association was observed only in female diabetic subjects.
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