Association between Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Polymorphisms and Pre-Eclampsia Susceptibility: An Updated Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the genetic association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms and the risk of pre-eclampsia (PE).

Methods: A systematic literature search of several databases (PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)) was conducted for case–control trials comparing VEGF polymorphisms (+936C/T, −634G/C, −2578C/A, and −1154G/A) with the risk of PE. Meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 12.0 software.

Results: Twenty-three case–control studies on a total of 2597 PE patients and 3075 controls were included in our meta-analysis. The +936C/T polymorphism was observed to be associated with the risk of PE in the overall population (T vs. C: odds ratios (OR) = 1.434, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.120–1.836, P = .004). However, the −634G/C, −2578C/A, and −1154G/A polymorphisms showed no association with the risk of PE. A subgroup analysis based on ethnicity found that the +936C/T polymorphism was associated with the risk of PE in both Europeans and Asians. Furthermore, the −634G/C polymorphism was found to be associated with the risk of PE in Europeans (C vs. G: OR = 1.428, 95% CI = 1.141–1.778, P = .002). The polymorphisms at other loci were not associated with the risk of PE.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that VEGF +936C/T polymorphism, rather than −634G/C, −2578C/A, or −1154G/A polymorphisms, is associated with the risk of PE in the overall study population. However, the −634G/C polymorphism may be associated with the risk of developing PE in Europeans.

KEYWORDS:

• Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
• polymorphism
• susceptibility
• pre-eclampsia
• meta-analysis

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the writing and content of this article.

Author contributions

HG and XW designed the analysis. XW and TS searched the databases, collected the full-text papers, and extracted and analyzed the data. XW wrote the manuscript. HG, TS, and GC reviewed the manuscript.