title: Association of interleukin-18 (-137G/C) polymorphism with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested that interleukin (IL)-18 gene (-137G/C) polymorphism is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, other studies did not confirm this correlation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships of IL-18 -137G/C and RA and SLE using a meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane library databases were systemically searched. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers and pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In RA, the overall ORs and 95% CIs of -137C were 1.03, 0.88-1.22 (p=0.391); 1.22, 0.89-1.68 (p=0.020) and 1.06, 0.93-1.21 (p=0.110) in dominant, recessive, and additive models, respectively. Furthermore, in SLE, the overall ORs and 95% CIs of -137C were 1.10, 0.94-1.29 (p=0.980); 1.21, 0.91-1.60 (p=0.010) and 1.10, 0.97-1.24 (p=0.454) in dominant, recessive, and additive models, respectively. IL-18 -137G/C could increase the risk of RA and SLE. No publication bias was found in this meta-analysis. After population stratification analysis, under recessive model, the pooled ORs and 95% CIs of -137C were 1.14, 0.82-1.60 (p=0.008) and 1.01, 0.66-1.55 (p=0.004) in European RA patients and Asian SLE patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis showed that IL-18 -137G/C was a risk factor for RA and SLE, especially for RA in Europeans and SLE in Asians.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart Lung & Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jian-Zeng
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Chang-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017594:Publication Bias; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18