Objective To investigate a potential relationship between Solute carrier family 30 (zinc transporter) member 8 (SLC30A8) rs13266634 variant and efficacy of rosiglitazone or repaglinide in treating newly diagnosed Chinese type 2 diabetes patients.Methods A total of 209 diabetic patients without any antihyperglycemic history were recruited and treated with repaglinide or rosiglitazone randomly for 48 weeks (104 and 105 patients,respectively).Anthropometric measurements and clinical laboratory tests were carried out before and after the treatment.An non-synonymous variant rs13266634 was genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy.Results Ninety-one patients in repaglinide group and ninety-three patients in rosiglitazone group completed the study.Δ value of homeostasis model assessment of beta cell function (HOMA-B)and Δ value of fasting proinsulin levels were statistically significant between three genotype groups (P=0.0149 and 0.0246,respectively) after rosiglitazone treatment.However,no genotype association was observed in the repaglinide or rosiglitazone group with other parameters.Conclusion The SLC30A8 variant was associated with the efficacy of insulin sensitizer monotherapy on insulin secretion in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in Shanghai,China. Objective To investigate a potential relationship between Solute carrier family 30 (zinc transporter) member 8 (SLC30A8) rs13266634 variant and efficacy of rosiglitazone or repaglinide in treating newly diagnosed Chinese type 2 diabetes patients. Methods A total of 209 diabetic patients without any antihyperglycemic history were recruited and treated with repaglinide or rosiglitazone randomly for 48 weeks (104 and 105 patients, respectively). Anthropometric measurements and clinical laboratory tests were carried out before and after the treatment. An non-synonymous variant rs13266634 was genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization -time of flight mass spectroscopy. Results Ninety-one patients in repaglinide group and ninety-three patients in rosiglitazone group completed the study. Δ value of homeostasis model assessment of beta cell function (HOMA-B) and Δ value of fasting proinsulin levels were representing significant between three genotype groups (P = 0.0149 and 0.0246, respec tively) after rosiglitazone treatment. Although no genotype association was observed in the repaglinide or rosiglitazone group with other parameters. Confluence The SLC30A8 variant was associated with the efficacy of insulin sensitizer monotherapy on insulin secretion in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus in Shanghai China.