Associations between vitamin D receptor gene  polymorphisms and osteoarthritis: an updated  meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms may be associated with the risk of OA, however, evidence for this is controversial. This meta-analysis aims to confirm whether VDR gene polymorphisms are associated with OA.


METHODS
Meta-analyses on the association between OA and VDR ApaI, BsmI, TaqI and FokI polymorphisms were conducted using allele and homozygote contrast and contrasts in the recessive and dominant models. Stratification analyses by different demographic regions (Europe vs Asian) were also performed and pooled odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using the random effects model if the results were heterogeneous.


RESULTS
A total of 13 relevant studies involving OA patients (n = 2104) and controls (n = 2939) were included in the analysis. There were significant associations between VDR ApaI polymorphisms and OA in the Asian population (A vs a: OR= 1.16, 95% CI 1.02, 1.32, P = 0.025; AA vs Aa/aa: OR= 1.36, 95% CI 1.04, 1.77, P = 0.025; AA vs aa: OR= 1.35, 95% CI 1.00, 1.80, P = 0.047), but not in the whole population. There was also a statistically significant association between FokI polymorphism and OA (FF vs Ff/ff: OR= 0.65, 95% CI 0.44, 0.95, P = 0.024); however, this result was derived from only two studies. No significant associations were found between VDR TaqI and BsmI polymorphisms and OA.


CONCLUSIONS
There are modest but statistically significant associations between VDR ApaI polymorphisms and the susceptibility of OA in the Asian population.
Zhao-Hua
ZH
Zhu
Xing-zhong
XZ
Jin
Weiya
W
Zhang
Mao
M
Chen
Dong-Qing
DQ
Ye
Yu
Y
Zhai
Fu-Long
FL
Dong
Cai-Liang
CL
Shen
Changhai
C
Ding
D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017594:Publication Bias; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*
D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol