An epidemiologic study on the incidence and significance of HFE mutations in a Korean cohort with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence and significance of HFE mutations (C282Y, H63D, and S65C) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been investigated in Korea.


METHODS
Mutation analysis of HFE gene and measurement of blood iron indices were carried out in 125 NAFLD patients and 221 controls.


RESULTS
Neither C282Y nor S65C gene mutations were detected. The prevalence of the H63D mutation was higher in the NAFLD group (14.4%) than in the controls (7.2%) (P=0.032). The estimated odds ratio (OR) of NAFLD for H63D mutations was 3.09 (P=0.008) by multivariate analysis, and age, gender, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia were independent variables associated with NAFLD. However, in the multivariate analysis containing interaction of the types of HFE mutations and gender, the prevalence of the H63D mutation was significantly higher in the male NAFLD group than in the male control group (OR=5.51, P=0.007); the difference of the prevalence between the NAFLD and the control group in females was not significant. The NAFLD patients with H63D mutations had higher levels of TS than those with the wild type (OR=3.14, P=0.048) by the multivariate analysis. A higher TS was significantly associated with the lower body mass index only in the male NAFLD group by multivariate analysis (OR=0.67, P=0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of H63D mutations was an independent factor associated with NAFLD and elevated TS. Therefore, the H63D mutation may increase susceptibility to NAFLD probably associated with peripheral iron overload, especially in males.
Lee
Sang Hyub
SH
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Geonggi-do, Korea.
Jeong
Sook-Hyang
SH
Lee
Donghun
D
Lee
Jee Hye
JH
Hwang
Sung Ho
SH
Cho
Young Ae
YA
Park
Young Soo
YS
Hwang
Jin-Hyeok
JH
Kim
Jin-Wook
JW
Kim
Nayoung
N
Lee
Dong Ho
DH
Kang
Weechang
W
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000150:complications*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins