The clinical utility of genetic risk variants in type 2 diabetes.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is one of the first success stories in the application of genome-wide linkage and association studies to find genetic variants contributing to its risk.

Objective: Are the genetic markers found so far useful in predicting which individuals are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes? Can they find which patients with prediabetes are more likely to convert to type 2 diabetes and therefore may benefit the most from lifestyle or pharmacologic prevention strategies?

Methods: The literature pertaining to the discovery and replications of genes contributing to type 2 diabetes was focused on.

Results/conclusion: Substantial risk for type 2 diabetes is represented by the top 8 genes, including TCF7L2, and in certain circumstances may be useful for prevention strategies targeted to those with highest risk.

Distinct clinical differences between HLA-Cw*0602 positive and negative psoriasis patients--an analysis of 1019 HLA-C- and HLA-B-typed patients.

A major susceptibility gene for psoriasis is located in the major histocompatibility complex class I region on chromosome 6 very close to the HLA-Cw6 gene. We collected a cohort of 1,019 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis. The patients were typed for HLA-C and HLA-B.

A genome wide linkage disequilibrium screen in Parkinson's disease.

Whole genome screening is increasingly used to identify genetic risk factors for complex diseases. In this study, a genome wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) screen was performed in a cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients from the UK (n = 195) using pooled DNA to facilitate efficient genotyping of 5546 microsatellite markers. Allele frequencies were compared with those found in 2 previously typed disease free control populations, and the most interesting markers were selected for multiple repeat testing among the 3 pools.

The inheritance of hand osteoarthritis in Iceland.

Objective: To assess the contribution of genetics to hand osteoarthritis (HOA) and its subsets in the Icelandic population.

Methods: A list of 2,919 HOA patients, constituting 1% of the Icelandic population, was compiled through nationwide sources. This patient list was cross-referenced with a comprehensive Icelandic genealogy database, enabling the use of algorithms to assess familiality of HOA.