Vol.20 No.3

Original Article

A meta-analysis of the association of STAT4 polymorphism with systemic lupus erythematosus

Authors

Hui Yuan1 , Jin-Bao Feng1 , Hai-Feng Pan1 , Li-Xin Qiu2,3 , Lian-Hong Li1 , Ning Zhang1 , Dong-Qing Ye1

  • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People’s Republic of China
  • Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
  • Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Received:

17 November 2009

Accepted:

15 January 2010

Published online:

19 February 2010

Full Text

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Abstract

STAT4 has been newly identified as a susceptibility gene for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in recent reports. To more precisely estimate the association between STAT4 polymorphism and SLE risk, a meta-analysis was performed. Studies on the association of STAT4 rs7574865 or rs7601754 with SLE were fully considered and carefully selected using three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science). A total of 17 comparisons from 8 relevant studies involving 7,381 patients and 11,431 controls were included to analyze the association between STAT4 rs7574865 and SLE risk. The pooled OR for the minor T allele of STAT4 rs7574865 was 1.65 (95% CI 1.56-1.75, P < 0.001) in SLE. In a subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the degree of risk of STAT4 rs7574865 with SLE susceptibility was similar in populations of European or Asian origin, although significant differences in the minor T allele frequencies were observed in the two population controls. As for rs7601754, there were five comparisons from four relevant studies involving 2,498 patients and 4,825 controls in this meta-analysis. The pooled OR for the minor C allele of STAT4 rs7601754 was 0.67 (95% CI 0.59?0.75, P < 0.001) in SLE. Conversely, the major T allele of STAT4 rs7601754 might be a risk factor for SLE risk. In conclusion, our results do support STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism as a susceptibility factor for SLE in populations of European and Asian origin. Our results also suggest that STAT4 rs7601754 polymorphism might be associated with SLE risk.

Key words

STAT4 - Systemic lupus erythematosus - Polymorphism