Association between rheumatoid arthritis and genetic variants of natural resistance‐associated macrophage protein 1 gene: A meta‐analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the association between natural resistance‐associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: All related studies were retrieved and screened from PubMed, CNKI and Web of Science. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were assessed for the strength of association between NRAMP1 and RA. Publication bias was measured by Begg's funnel plot and Egger's regression test. The robustness of this meta‐analysis was detected by sensitivity analysis. Results: A total of five eligible publications were included in the present meta‐analysis. The polled data showed no association between RA and NRAMP1 D543N and 1729 + 55del4 in the allele model. However, the relationship between RA and NRAMP1 INT4 was statistically significant (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.14‐2.38). Genotypic analysis demonstrated that there were no associations between RA and NRAMP1 D543N, 1729 + 55del4 and INT4 in homozygous comparison (D543N: OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.15‐6.09; 1729 + 55del4: OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.29‐24.88; INT4: OR 3.18, 95% CI 0.62‐16.26), dominant model (D543N: OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.61‐61.78; 1729 + 55del4: OR 1.41, 95% CI 0.81‐2.47; INT4: OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.72‐2.06) and recessive model (D543N: OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.15‐5.91; 1729 + 55del4: OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.26‐3.86; INT4: OR 2.95, 95% CI 0.61‐14.16). In heterozygous comparison, it no association was shown between RA and NRAMP1 D543N and INT4, excepting NRAMP1 1729 + 55del4 (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.17‐2.56). Further subgroup analysis indicated that NRAMP1 1729 + 55del4 and INT4 were related to RA in Asia and in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium group. There exists no publication bias in this meta‐analysis. Conclusion: This meta‐analysis indicated that NRAMP1 1729 + 55del4 and INT4 confer susceptibility to RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]