Objective: A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility.
Methods: Tuberculosis, TB, mycobacteria, polymorphism, variant, mutation, susceptibility, tumor necrosis factor or, TNF, cytokine, and gene were used as key words both in Chinese and English to search all the published related articles in Pubmed, Embase, Web of science, Science Direct, Springer Link, EBSCO, Wanfang and Chinese Journal Full-text Database until October 2011. HWE test was performed in all the comparisons. Heterogeneity across studies was determined, and sensitivity analyses were conducted.
Results: Nine case-control studies were included. The meta-analysis indicated that there was no significant association between TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility (GA + AA vs GG model: OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.77 - 1.32; A vs G model: OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.77 - 1.30). No significant heterogeneity (Q was 5.04 and 5.82 respectively, P > 0.05) and publication bias (GA + AA vs GG model: Begg test Z = 0.73, Egger test t = 1.94, P > 0.05; A vs G model: Begg test Z = 0.52, Egger test t = 1.72, P > 0.05) were demonstrated. Sensitivity analyses further indicated the reliability of the study (OR were 0.94 - 1.10 respectively, all P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Our study did not detect any association between TNF -238G/A polymorphism and tuberculosis susceptibility.