genetic factors

Last reviewed 01/2018

Genetic factors are important in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus:

  • concordance rate for type 2 diabetes (NIDDM) in monozygotic twins is about 90% - much higher than for IDDM
  • for siblings of patients with type 2 diabetes (NIDDM) the lifetime risk of developing the condition is approximately 40%
  • there are no significant HLA associations

Susceptibilty genes identified include:

  • calpain-10 on chromosome 2

Specific single gene mutations have been identified for rare familial forms of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The proportion of type 2 diabetes (NIDDM) patients with any of these mutations is between 1% & 5% (1).

Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA) is classified as a form of type 2 diabetes (1).

Reference:

  • 1) Nature Genetics (2000), 26, 163-75.