The -344C/T polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene is associated with essential hypertension in the Chinese

Background: It has been suggested that the -344C/T polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene is involved in the development of hypertension. However, the results have been inconsistent. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association of -344C/T polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene with hypertension risk in the Chinese population.

Methods: Published literature from PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wan Fang data were retrieved. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a fixed or random effects model.

Results: A total of 29 studies (8482 cases/8560 controls) were included in the final meta-analysis. Overall, there was a significant association between -344T/C polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene and hypertension in the Chinese (heterogeneous co-dominant model: OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.03-1.17, I (2)=12.7%, p for heterogeneity=0.271; dominant model: OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.02-1.20, I (2)=32.1%, p for heterogeneity=0.051; allelic model: OR=1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16, p for heterogeneity=0.006). In the stratified analysis, the effect size was significant only in the Han Chinese (heterogeneous co-dominant model: OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.03-1.20, I (2)=0.0%, p for heterogeneity=0.745; dominant model: OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.02-1.21, I (2)=18.1%, p for heterogeneity=0.299; allelic model: OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.18, p=0.028), but not in the minority Chinese.

Conclusions: Our study suggested that the -344T/C polymorphism in the CYP11B2 gene was significantly associated with hypertension in the Chinese population, especially in the Han Chinese.