The association between apolipoprotein E and gallstone disease: an updated meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Gallstone disease (GSD) is a prevalent global health issue.
• Previous research on the association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) E4 and GSD risk has yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the association between APOE E4 and the risk of developing GSD.
• To synthesize existing evidence to clarify the role of APOE E4 in GSD pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed across major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar).
• Inclusion criteria focused on human studies with clear GSD diagnosis (ultrasound, history of cholecystectomy) and available APOE genotype data.
• Random-effects models were employed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between APOE E4 and GSD risk.

Main Results:

• The meta-analysis included 14 studies comprising 1632 GSD patients and 5001 controls.
• No statistically significant association was found between APOE E4 and GSD risk (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.89-1.68, p = 0.205).
• Subgroup analyses by gender and age, as well as sensitivity analyses excluding certain genotypes or low-quality studies, did not alter the main finding of no significant association.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence from this meta-analysis is insufficient to establish a link between APOE E4 and GSD risk.
• Larger, well-controlled future studies are recommended to validate these findings and investigate other potential genetic contributors to GSD.