Association of and gene polymorphisms as a genetic risk factor in gestational diabetes in Iranian women.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most popular metabolic disease during pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to investigate any possible association between Glu298Asp and I/D gene polymorphisms and the risk of GDM in a group of Iranian pregnant women.

Methods: In this case-control study 204 pregnant women were recruited (94 cases and 110 controls). Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood and genotyping was performed by the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR- RFLP) and only PCR for and polymorphisms respectively.

Results: Frequencies of GT and TT genotype of polymorphism among women with and without GDM were 67.90% vs. 74.47 and 7.41% vs. 8.51% respectively ( = 0.4). Corresponding figures for DD genotype of polymorphism among GDM patients was more than that in healthy women (51.65% vs. 63.81% respectively). Conversely, ACE heterozygote genotype was more common in diabetic women (35.16% vs. 26.67% respectively). Although these differences were not statistically significant ( = 0.2).

Conclusions: Our study showed that there is no association between the presence of and gene polymorphisms and developing gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in our population. Further longitudinal and multicenter studies should be carried out to assess the exact metabolic effects of these polymorphisms.