Interleukin-1 Beta +3594 C/T Gene Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Sepsis: A Meta-Analysis

Emerging evidence has indicated that the interleukin-1B (IL-1B) +3954 C > T polymorphism may affect individual susceptibility to sepsis. However, the results of published studies are inconclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis was to elucidate the association of this polymorphism with sepsis risk. Eligible studies were identified by a search of electronic databases. Overall and subgroup analyses were performed. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to assess the associations between the IL-1B +3954 C > T polymorphism and sepsis risk. Six case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled analysis indicated that the IL-1B +3954 C > T polymorphism significantly decreased the risk of sepsis under the homozygote model (TT vs. CC: OR = 0.57, 95% CI:0.37-0.88). In stratified analysis, we found that the protective effect of the IL-1B +3954 C > T polymorphism on sepsis risk remained significant in the subgroup of Caucasians and for high-quality studies. In conclusion, the IL-1B +3954 C > T polymorphism is associated with decreased sepsis risk in Caucasians. Further well-designed studies with large sample sizes are required to confirm this conclusion.