Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether Hind III polymorphism of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene influences the effects of simvastatin on glucose metabolism. Seventeen subjects with diabetes were treated with simvastatin for 6 months. All subjects were submitted before and after treatment to a oral glucose tolerance test. RFLP for LPL gene (intron 8) was determined by PCR followed by Hind III digestion. Eleven subjects were (+/+) homozygotes for the presence of the Hind III restriction site and 6 subjects were (+/-) heterozygotes. Whereas the incremental area under the curves (AUC) of plasma glucose and serum insulin were not changed after simvastatin administration in heterozygotes, the AUC of plasma glucose was significantly reduced after the treatment without a change in the AUC of serum insulin in homozygotes. These results suggest the association of RFLP for the LPL gene with the effect of simvastatin on insulin action in diabetic patients.
