Studies investigating association between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene polymorphisms and silicosis susceptibility report conflicting results. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess association between TNF gene polymorphisms and silicosis susceptibility. A systematic literature search was conducted to find relevant studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the strength of association. Finally, a total of 12 articles, involving 1990 silicosis patients and 1898 healthy controls were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, meta-analysis revealed a significant association between the TNF −308A allele and silicosis (OR = 1.348, 95%CI = 1.156–1.570, P<0.001). A significant association of AA+AG genotype of the TNF −308 A/G polymorphism with susceptibility to silicosis was also found (OR = 1.466, 95%CI = 1.226–1.753, P<0.001). After stratification by ethnicity, significant associations were detected under the genetic models (A allele and AA+AG genotype) for TNF −308A/G polymorphisms in the Asian population (P<0.05). Similarly, meta-analysis of the TNF −238A/G polymorphism revealed the same pattern as that shown by meta-analysis of TNF −308A/G. The meta-analysis suggests that the TNF −308A/G and −238A/G polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to silicosis, especially in Asians.

Background: The prevalence of skin diseases and diabetes mellitus (DM) are prominent around the world. The current scope of knowledge regarding the prevalence of skin diseases and comorbidities with type 2 DM (T2DM) is limited, leading to limited recognition of the correlations between skin diseases and T2DM. Methods: We collected 383 subjects from the Da Qing Diabetes Study during the period from July 9th to September 1st, 2016. The subjects were categorized into three groups: Normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and T2DM. The prevalence and clinical characteristics of skin diseases were recorded and investigated. Results: In this cross-sectional study, 383 individuals with ages ranging from 53 to 89-year-old were recruited. The overall prevalence of skin diseases was 93.5%, and 75.7% of individuals had two or more kinds of skin diseases. Additionally, there were 47 kinds of comorbid skin diseases in patients with T2DM, of which eight kinds of skin diseases had a prevalence >10%. The prevalence of skin diseases in NGT, IGT, and T2DM groups were 93.3%, 91.5%, and 96.6%, respectively; stratified analysis by categories showed a statistically significant difference in “disturbances of pigmentation” and “neurological and psychogenic dermatoses”. The duration of T2DM also significantly associated with the prevalence of “disturbances of pigmentation” and “neurological and psychogenic dermatoses”. Subsequently, the prevalence of “disturbances of pigmentation” was higher in males than females in NGT ( P < 0.01) and T2DM ( P < 0.01) groups. In addition, the difference in the prevalence of “disturbances of pigmentation” was also significant in NGT and T2DM groups ( P < 0.01). Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of skin diseases in the Da Qing Diabetes Study. To address the skin diseases in the Da Qing Diabetes Study, increased awareness and intervention measures should be implemented.