Effect of Genetic Polymorphisms on the Development of Secondary Failure to Sulfonylurea in Egyptian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: This study investigated the possibility that genetic factors, such as polymorphism of K inward rectifier subunit (Kir6.2), E23K, and Arg972 polymorphism of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), may predispose patients to sulfonylurea failure.Methods: A total of 100 unrelated Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited. They were divided into two equal groups: group I consisted of patients with secondary failure to sulfonylurea (hemoglobin A1c ≥ 8% despite sulfonylurea therapy) while group II consisted of patients whose condition was controlled with oral therapy.Results: Of all the patients, 45% and 14% were carriers of the K allele and Arg972 variants respectively. The frequency of the K allele was 34% among patients with diabetes that was controlled with oral therapy and 56% among patients with secondary failure to sulfonylurea. The frequency of the Arg972 IRS-1 variant was 6% among patients with diabetes controlled with oral therapy and 22% among patients with secondary failure.Conc...