title: Typical type 2 diabetes mellitus and HFE gene mutations: a population-based case - control study.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus is a recognized consequence of hereditary haemochromatosis. Whether the common HFE mutations, that associate with this condition and pre-dispose to increases in serum iron indices, are over-represented in diabetic populations remains controversial. We present data from the largest case-control study of the C282Y and H63D HFE allele frequencies in typical type 2 diabetes mellitus, as defined by an age of onset greater than 30 years and no requirement for insulin in the first year post-diagnosis. We also present a meta-analysis of all similar studies to date. We see no evidence for over-representation of iron loading HFE alleles in type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggesting that screening for HFE mutations in this population is of no value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Cambridge CB2 2QR, UK. djh44@hermes.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Halsall
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: Jian'an
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Wareham
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000235:genetics; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D006579:Heterozygote; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins