Toll-like receptor 4 polymorphisms to determine acute pancreatitis susceptibility and severity: a meta-analysis.

Abstract

To investigate the correlation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms and acute pancreatitis (AP) risk and severity. To get a more precise estimation of the relationship, a comprehensive search was performed to examine all the eligible studies of TLR4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms and AP risk. The odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the strength of the association. Publication bias was analyzed by Begg's funnel plots. In total, six studies with 1255 cases and 998 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Totally, no significant associations were found between TLR4 Asp299Gly or Thr399Ile polymorphisms and AP risk using five models with high homogeneity (P > 0.05). Furthermore, stratification analysis by ethnicity or assay also found no significant association in these two polymorphisms (P > 0.05), and TLR4 Asp299Gly was not associated with AP severity (P > 0.05). In addition, no publication bias was found in these studies (P > 0.05). Our current meta-analysis suggests that TLR4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms may not be risk factors to AP susceptibility.