A genetic variation common in people of African ancestry is associated with an increased risk of complications from diabetes, including diabetic retinopathy, according to a report published in Nature Medicine1. The study, the largest ancestry-stratified, genetic estimation of the heritability of diabetic retinopathy conducted to date, included over 46,000 individuals of non-Hispanic African ancestry.
The investigators found that the diagnosis of diabetes and treatment needed to prevent diabetes complications may be delayed in people who carry the variant, G6PDdef, because it is associated with reduced levels of HbA1c, a widely used clinical marker of blood glucose levels. Testing for genetic variations that cause G6PD deficiency could lead to improvements in the way clinicians diagnose and treat diabetes, thereby helping to reduce the long-observed disparity in diabetes complications between individuals of European and African ancestries.
The multi-institutional study was led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, and the Million Veteran Program (MVP) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, along with Emory University School of Medicine and the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Healthcare System. Todd Edwards, PhD, MS, co-corresponding author and VUMC faculty member, emphasized the significance of this discovery: “This could lead to changes in the way diabetes is managed for millions of patients in the U.S. and around the world.”
Joseph Breeyear, PhD, MS, the paper’s first author, highlighted the importance of including diverse populations in biomedical research: “While this discovery may impact how millions of individuals manage their diabetes, it also highlights the importance of including underrepresented individuals. By doing so, we can identify genetic variations that affect health outcomes.”
This groundbreaking study sheds light on the genetic factors contributing to diabetes disparities and underscores the need for equitable representation in research efforts.
See “Gene variant may underlie diabetes disparities: study” (June 25, 2024)
