TNF-α-308G/A Polymorphism Contributes to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Risk: Evidence Based on 10 Case-Control Studies

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the association between the TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Method: The Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to study TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism and risk of OSAS. Result: 10 case-control studies were included in our meta-analysis. The results from our study showed that the TNF-a-308G/A polymorphism was significantly associated with risk of OSAS (A vs. G: OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.43-1.95). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the statistical similar results were observed both in European (A vs. G: OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.35-2.08) and Asian population (A vs. G: OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.50-2.71). When stratified by age, a significantly increased risk was observed in adult carries A allele compared with G allele (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.50-2.13), whereas no association was found in children (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.70-1.69). Conclusion: Our study suggested that the TNF-alpha- 308G/A polymorphism contributed to the susceptibility to the risk of OSAS. Additional well-designed large studies are needed to validate our findings.