Association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and tuberculosis: a meta-analysis

Although a number of studies have reported that human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 alleles may be correlated with tuberculosis (TB), most were based on small samples or inconsistent and unclear results. Here, we present a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between HLA-DRB1 alleles and TB susceptibility. We gathered relevant information from published studies on the association between HLA‑DRB1 alleles and TB susceptibility through a systematic research. Data from eligible fifteen studies were included in the meta-analyses. Each dataset was statistically analyzed to evaluate the HLA‑DRB1 alleles by calculating the respective odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results revealed that frequencies of two DRB1 alleles were significantly decreased in TB: DRB1*03 (P = 0.016, OR = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.67‑0.95) and DRB1*07 (P = 0.017, OR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.68‑0.96). Thus, our data indicate that DRB1*03 and DRB1*07 may provide protective effects against TB susceptibility. However, well‑designed studies with large sample sizes are required for better understanding of this association.