Clinical correlations and genetic associations of metabolic syndrome in the United Arab Emirates

• Published in: Gene 2020-05, Vol.738, p.144476-144476, Article 144476
• Main Authors: Osman, Wael M., Khan, Saad Mahmud, Jelinek, Herbert F., Almahmeed, Wael, Tay, Guan K., Alsafar, Habiba S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood Pressure; Body Mass Index; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Complications - epidemiology; Diabetes Complications - genetics; Diabetes Complications - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus - metabolism; Female; FTO gene; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome - genetics; Middle Aged; Obesity - complications; Obesity - genetics; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; United Arab Emirates; United Arab Emirates - epidemiology; Waist Circumference; Waist-Hip Ratio
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144476

•In the UAE, MetS should be considered in the presence of obesity and diabetes.•Majority of patients with MetS have complications, mainly eye and heart problems.•Thrall screening for complications should be done if the diagnosis of MetS made.•No conclusive genetic risk for MetS found here a part of a gene known as FTO. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) contributes to increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a high prevalence of MetS which may be linked to modifiable and genetic risk factors in the local population. The association between MetS as a phenotype and key genetic variants in the UAE has not been investigated. This study reports on the clinical, biochemical and genetic associations of MetS and its risk factors to improve individualized medicine outcomes. There were 471 subjects included in this cross-sectional study, 367 with MetS and 104 without MetS. Along with clinical and laboratory parameters, multiple risk genetic variants were tested for their association with MetS, which include 49 variants that have previously been shown to be linked with MetS development as a phenotype, 116 variants for association with waist-hip ratio (WHR), 398 variants with body-mass index (BMI), 213 variants with T2DM and insulin resistance, 307 variants with different lipid traits, 308 variants with blood pressure traits, and 64 variants with coronary and cerebrovascular accidents. Patients with MetS had higher rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension and dyslipidemia (p