Meta-analysis of association between cytokine gene polymorphisms and Behcet's disease risk

The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of eligible studies to derive precise estimation of the association of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α polymorphisms with Behcet's disease (BD). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association. A total of 4003 cases and 4748 controls in 19 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. We examined the relationship between seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the above-mentioned three cytokine genes and susceptibility to BD. Meta-analysis indicated the association between the cytokine gene polymorphisms in all study subjects in the allelic model (TNF-α -308A/G: OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.61-0.88, P = 0.001; IL-10 -819C/T: OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.66-0.78, P < 0.001; IL-10 -592C/A: OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64-0.86, P < 0.001); the dominant model (TNF-α -308A/G: OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64-0.92, P = 0.004; IL-10 -1082G/A: OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.10-2.44, P = 0.014); the recessive model (TNF-α -308A/G: OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.12-0.65, P = 0.003; IL-10 -819C/T: OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.57-0.90, P = 0.004). However, no significant evidence for the associations of IL-1α -889C/T, IL-1β -551C/T, IL-1β -3962C/T polymorphisms with BD susceptibility was detected. The present study might suggest that TNF-α -308A/G, IL-10 -1082G/A, -819C/T, -592C/A polymorphisms are associated with BD susceptibility.