Association between the Growth Hormone Receptor Exon 3 Polymorphism and Metabolic Factors in Korean Patients with Acromegaly

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. CONCLUSION: The d3-GHR polymorphism may be associated with high BMI but not with other demographic characteristics or laboratory parameters.