Association between SERPING1 rs2511989 polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration: Meta-analysis

AIM: To investigate the association between SERPING1 rs2511989 (G>A) polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: A number of electronic databases (up to July 15, 2014) were searched independently by two investigators. A Meta -analysis was performed on the association between SERPING1rs2511989 polymorphism and AMD. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (Cis) were estimated. RESULTS: Eight studies with 16 cohorts consisting of 9163 cases and 6813 controls were included in this Meta-analysis. There was no significant association between rs2511989 polymorphism and AMD under all genetic models in overall estimates (A vsG: OR= 0.938, 95%Cl = 0.858-1.025; AA vs GG:OR =0.871, 95%Cl =0.719-1.056; AG vs GG: OR =0.944, 95%Cl =0.845-1.054; AA +AG vs GG: OR =0.927, 95% Cl =0.823-1.044; AA vs AG +GG: OR =0.890, 95% Cl =0.780 -1.034). Cumulative Meta analyses also showed a trend of no association between rs2511989 polymorphism and AMD as information accumulated by year. Subgroup analysis and Meta regression analysis indicated that age -matching status was the main source of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis found the results in overall comparisons and subgroup comparisons of white subjects under the allele model were found to have significantly statistical differences after studies deviating from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were excluded (overall: OR=0.918, 95% Cl = 0.844-0.999, P=0.049; whites: OR =0.901, 95%Cl = 0.817 -0.994, P =0.038). However, the results were not sufficiently robust for further sensitivity analysis and statistical differences disappeared on applying Bonferroni correction (with a significance level set at 0.05/25). CONCLUSION: This Meta -analysis indicates that SERPING1 rs2511989 polymorphism and AMD tend to have no association with each other. Age matching status is a big confounding factor, and more studies with subtle designs are warranted in future.