Association of Vaspin rs2236242 with Metabolic Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial condition characterized by central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, all of which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Genetic variants affecting adipokine signaling, such as polymorphisms in the vaspin gene (SERPINA12), have gained attention due to their potential role in modulating metabolic traits. Among these, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs2236242 (T>A) has shown conflicting associations with MetS across populations. This study presents the first comprehensive meta-analysis investigating the association between rs2236242 polymorphism and MetS susceptibility.

We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science for relevant articles published up to 12 December 2025. Data were extracted, and summary estimates of the association between vaspin rs2236242 and MetS were assessed. Odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure the effect. Four eligible case-control studies involving 918 participants from Caucasian, African, and Western Asian populations were included.

Our results demonstrate that the A allele of rs2236242 is significantly associated with a 37% reduced risk of MetS compared to the T allele, with consistent protective effects observed across multiple genetic models (dominant, recessive, homozygous, and heterozygous). These findings align with previous studies suggesting the metabolic benefits of vaspin, including improved insulin sensitivity. Moreover, sensitivity analyses identified the study by Suliga et al. as an outlier, its exclusion reduced heterogeneity to 0% while maintaining the significance of the protective association.

We performed the first meta-analysis on the association of vaspin rs2236242 with MetS and found that the vaspin rs2236242 A allele confers a significant protective effect against MetS.