Taq1B CETP Polymorphism and Cardiovascular Risk in an Endogamous Pop-ulation of Diabetic Men: A Study in Santa Rosa Del Conlara, San Luis, Argentina

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Several polymorphisms in the cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) gene have been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and effect of the Taq1B polymorphism in the CETP gene on clinical and biochemical indicators of CVD risk in a population of endogamous-T2DM men. Methods: 102 men (57.5 ± 9.3 years old) inhabitants of Santa Rosa del Conlara, San Luis, Argentina, were recruited and assigned into two groups (22 control and 80 T2DM). Further, these two groups were subdivided according to their Taq1B CETP gene genotypes (i.e., B1B1, B1B2 and B2B2). Clinical and fasting-plasma biochemical indicators of CVD risk were measured and their association with the B1 allele was determined. Results: Compared to control, T2DM men had more central obesity, hypertension, atherogenic index, insulin resistance and poorly controlled diabetes. Compared to T2DM men having the B2 allele, those T2DM men having the B1 allele have increased risk of CVD as assessed by systolic blood pressure (156 ± 16.0 vs 135.8 ± 19.2, p = 0.015), atherogenic index (6.15 ± 1.3 vs 4.4 ± 0.7, p = 0.0008), HDL-c levels (38.9 ± 5.3 vs 64.4 ± 8.2, p < 0.0001) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, 5.78 ± 3.0 vs 2.4 ± 0.78, p = 0.004). Interestingly, only body mass index (r = ﹣0.559, p = 0.01) and HDL-c concentration (r = ﹣0.492, p = 0.02) negatively correlated with CVD risk in the endogamous population of B1B1 and B1B2 T2DM men. Conclusion: The B1 allele of the CETP gene predicts cardiovascular complications in an endogamous population of T2DM men.