Association between TNF α Gene Polymorphisms and the Risk of Duodenal Ulcer: A Meta-Analysis

Background Epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and duodenal ulcer (DU), but the results remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to investigate a more authentic association between TNF-α SNPs and DU. Methods We performed the meta-analysis by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from the first available year to Sep. 5, 2012. Additionally, checking reference lists from identified articles, reviews, and the abstracts presented at related scientific societies meetings were also performed. All case-control studies investigating the association between TNF-α SNPs and DU risk were included. The association was assessed by odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Publication bias was analyzed by Begg's funnel plot and Egger's regression test. Results A total of sixteen studies reporting TNF-α −308G/A, −1031T/C, −863C/A, −857C/T, and −238G/A polymorphism were included in our final meta-analysis. There was no statistically significant association between −308G/A polymorphism and DU in the overall study population, as well as subgroup analyses by ethnicity, study design, and H. pylori status. As for −1031T/C, −863C/A, −857C/T, and −238G/A, results of our meta-analyses showed no statistical evidence of significant association. Power calculation on the combined sample size showed that the statistical powers were all lower than 80% for all the meta-analyses. Conclusions The data suggests that there is no statistical evidence of significant association between the studied TNF-α SNPs and DU. However, this conclusion should be interpreted with caution as low statistical powers were revealed by power calculations. In future, larger sample-size studies with homogeneous DU patients and well-matched controls are required.