eMERGE Genome-Wide Association Studies of Obesity

The Geisinger eMERGE Genome-Wide Association Studies of Obesity Project is a genetic study of a cohort of primarily Caucasian patients with extreme obesity who have undergone bariatric surgery. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, in which intestinal anatomy is altered, dramatically ameliorates and/or eliminates Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in 50-80% of patients within hours to days following surgery, well before significant weight loss, in contrast to other types of bariatric surgeries, such as gastric banding, that attenuate insulin resistance as a result of substantial weight loss that occurs over months to years. The molecular mechanism by which RYGB exerts this clinical phenomenon occurs is not known. The goal of this project was to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants associated with amelioration in T2D defined by medication independence. Identifying genetic variants that influence the dramatic resolution of T2D from RYGB may identify novel targets for pharmacological T2D therapies and/or identify patients in whom RYGB may not be effective.]]>
Inclusion criteria: An individual was eligible for participation in this study if they were an adult meeting the following criteria: Competent patients interested in Gastric Bypass Surgery Patients who were eligible for Gastric Bypass Surgery based on NIH criteria Exclusion criteria: Patients not interested in Gastric Bypass Surgery Patients who did not qualify for surgery based on medical contraindications Patients with severe psychological contraindications Patients not willing to be compliant with pre-post surgical recommendations Patients younger that 21 years of age Patients older than 70 years of age Patients who were pregnant ]]>