BackgroundMany studies have determined the correlation between the Apolipoprotein E (APO E) gene polymorphisms and diabetic nephropathy, but their results are inconclusive.Material/MethodsWith the aim to confirm this correlation, we performed a meta-analysis of 16 studies. The dichotomous data are presented as the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsThe results of our study indicate that APO ɛ2 allele among the pooled Asian populations were more likely to show high risk of DN development (2 allele vs. ɛ3 allele: pooled OR =1.629, 95% CI=1.010–2.628, P=0.045). For further analysis, the APO ɛ2 allele was associated with progress of DN in the group with duration >10 years, but not in the group with duration <10 years (ɛ2 allele vs. ɛ3 allele: pooled OR=1.920, 95% CI=1.338–2.754, P<0.001). The APO ɛ2 polymorphism increased the susceptibility to DN in Asian population compared with healthy people (ɛ2 allele vs. ɛ3 allele: pooled OR=1.629, 95% CI=1.010–2.628, P=0.045).ConclusionsDevelopment of DN is associated with APO E polymorphisms in Asian populations, especially in East Asians.

Background Earlier research works have studied the part that cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) plays in the carcinogenesis of malignant bone tumors, nonetheless, findings had inconsistency. The current investigation aims at clarifying the association between CTLA-4 polymorphism and malignant bone tumor susceptibility through the meta-analysis.Methods We searched pertinent research works in not just PubMed, but also EMBASE, Cochrane library, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases in humans published before October 2019. The use of the pooled odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was made for estimating the strengths of the correlation existing between the CTLA-4 genetic polymorphism and malignant bone tumors susceptibility. An aggregate of six research works with 1191 malignant bone tumors patients and 1418 controls were selected eventually. The pooled results shed light on the fact that CTLA-4 +49G/A polymorphism had a significant correlation with an augmented vulnerability to the malignant bone tumors (A vs. G: OR=1.37, 95%CI=1.22-1.54; GA vs. GG: OR=1.20, 95%CI=1.01-1.42; AA vs. GG: OR=2.13, 95%CI=1.63-2.78; GA+AA vs. GG: OR=1.35, 95%CI=1.15-1.59; AA vs. GG+GA: OR=2.02, 95%CI=1.60-2.56). Subgroup analysis indicated that there exists a statistically significant correlation between CTLA-4 +49G/A polymorphism and augmented susceptibility to the malignant bone tumor in the population-based or hospital-based samples, and Ewing’s sarcoma or osteosarcoma. Moreover, there was also not observed any considerable heterogeneity across the research works. Results Our results suggest that the CTLA-4 +49G/A polymorphism may play a pivotal part in the carcinogenesis of malignant bone tumors. Conclusions More research works, on the basis of the large sample sizes as well as homogeneous specimens, are needed in order to verify these results.