RANTES GENE POLYMORPHISMS ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: A META-ANALYSIS

A few recent studies have suggested that regulated on activation, normal T-cell-expressed and secreted (RANTES) polymorphisms (-403 G/A, -28C/G) are not associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, there still exist studies confirming this correlation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship of RANTES and SLE using a meta-analysis. Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases were systemically searched. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers and pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Six studies were considered, including a total of 838 cases and 906 controls of -403 G/A, as well as 305 cases and 303 controls of -28C/G in this meta-analysis. The overall ORs and 95% CIs of -403A were 0.79, 0.64-0.97 (P=0.07); and 1.09, 0.64-1.87 (P=0.287) in dominant and recessive models, respectively. The overall ORs and 95% CIs of -28G were 0.64, 0.44-0.94 (P=0.379), and 0.63, 0.21-1.86 (P=0.580) in dominant and recessive models, respectively. No publication bias was found in this meta-analysis. This meta-analysis showed that RANTES-403 G/A and -28C/G were not associated with SLE.