Associations between gene polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor necrosis factor alpha inducible protein 3 () polymorphisms confer susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in ethnically different populations. The authors conducted meta-analyses on associations between the polymorphisms and RA susceptibility. A total of ten comparative studies were included in this meta-analysis, which showed an association between the two allele of rs6920220 and RA in all study subjects [odds ratio (OR) 1.216, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.166-1.269, < 1.0 x 10(-9)]. The two allele of rs6920220 was also significantly associated with RA in Europeans only (OR 1.227, 95% CI 1.175-1.282, < 1.0 x 10(-9)). Meta-analysis revealed no association between the two allele of the rs10499194 polymorphism and RA in Europeans, but a significant association was found in Asians (OR 1.254, 95% CI 1.101-1.429, = 6.7 x 10(-4)). Furthermore, an association was found between the two allele of rs2230926 and RA in all study subjects (OR 1.390, 95% CI 1.214-2.331, = 1.9 x 10(-6)). This meta-analysis confirms that the polymorphisms are associated with RA susceptibility in different ethnic groups, namely, in Europeans for rs6920220 and in Asians for rs10499194.