Association between the CYP11B2 gene ˗344T>C polymorphism and coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis

Numerous studies have evaluated the association between the CYP11B2 gene -344T>C polymorphism and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. However, the specific association is still controversial. To address this issue, PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for eligible articles that reported on the relationship between the CYP11B2 gene -344T>C polymorphism and CAD, and were published before April 2014. Data from five separate studies with 3687 subjects were analyzed by meta-analysis. No significant variation in CAD risk was detected by any of the genetic models in the overall study population. Taking into account the effect of ethnicity, further stratified analyses demonstrated significant association in both Caucasian (TT vs TC: OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.64-1.00) and Asian populations (TT vs TC: OR = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.01-1.54; dominant model: OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.66-0.98). The pooled ORs were not substantially altered after the exclusion of one study in the control group that deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, highlighting the reliability of our meta-analysis results. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggested that the -344T>C polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene might be associated with susceptibility to CAD in Caucasians and Asians.