title: Apolipoprotein c3 gene polymorphisms are not a risk factor for developing non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our objective was to evaluate the effect of gene polymorphisms of apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) on the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in different populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a meta-analysis of all relevant studies published in the literature. A total of 115 clinical trials or reports were identified, but only seven trials met our inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Reviewers' Handbook recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hospital-based and two population-based case-control studies were included in the final analysis. The overall frequency of APOC3 gene polymorphisms was 67.5% (1177/1745) in NAFLD and 68.8% (988/1437) in controls. The summary odds ratio for the association of gene polymorphisms of APOC3 and the risk of NAFLD was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.89-1.22),which was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis, while not ruling out possible publication bias, showed no association between gene polymorphisms of APOC3 and the risk of NAFLD development in different populations in the world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China ; Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Central Hospital, Qingdao, China ; Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Haiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Lizhen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yongning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China ; Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Central Hospital, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yuangui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Shiying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xuan
keywords: Apolipoprotein; NAFLD; Polymorphisms