title: Association between the Growth Hormone Receptor Exon 3 Polymorphism and Metabolic Factors in Korean Patients with Acromegaly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the association between the frequency of growth hormone receptor (GHR) exon 3 polymorphism (exon 3 deletion; d3-GHR) and metabolic factors in patients with acromegaly in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 30 unrelated patients with acromegaly. GHR genotypes were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and correlated with demographic data and laboratory parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No patient had the d3/d3 genotype, while four (13.3%) had the d3/fl genotype, and 26 (86.7%) had the fl/fl genotype. Body mass index (BMI) in patients with the d3/fl genotype was significantly higher than in those with the fl/fl genotype (P=0.001). Age, gender, blood pressure, insulin-like growth factor-1, growth hormone, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels showed no significant differences between the two genotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The d3-GHR polymorphism may be associated with high BMI but not with other demographic characteristics or laboratory parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Yoon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: In Ryang
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Kyungwon University, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Ae
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: In Kyu
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. jugkim@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jung Guk
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Acromegaly; Body mass index; Fasting plasma glucose; Growth hormone receptor exon 3 deletion; Polymorphism