OBJECTIVEThe results of studies on association between -148C/T polymorphism in promoter region of beta-fibrinogen gene and susceptibility to cerebral infarction in Chinese population are controversial. In this study, we summarize the results of published works in this field by a meta-analysis. Data sources Genetic association studies evaluating the beta-fibrinogen gene -148C/T polymorphisms and cerebral infarction involving Chinese population published before December 2005 were collected from PubMed, EMBASE and CNKI. Study selection Case control studies involving unrelated, Han subjects aged from 18 to 80 years, and the internationally recognized diagnostic standard of cerebral infarction and genotype frequencies in control group consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were used. Publication bias was tested by funnel plot and the odds ratios of all studies were combined dependent on the result of heterogeneity test among the individual studies. The software Review Manager (Version 4.2) was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTSEleven studies including 1223 patients and 1433 controls met the selection criteria. There was no heterogeneity among the odds ratios (ORs) of individual studies (chi(2) = 17.82, P = 0.06). The combined OR of susceptibility to cerebral infarction in -148T allele carriers compared to the wild homozygote was 1.32 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.55, P = 0.0008). In the patients with cerebral infarction, the average plasma fibrinogen level of allele T carrier was 0.42 g/L (95% CI 0.29 to 0.54, P < 0.001), higher than that of -148C/C homozygous ones.

CONCLUSIONSbeta-fibrinogen gene -148C/T polymorphism might contribute to susceptibility to cerebral infarction in Han Chinese. To reach a definitive conclusion, further gene to gene and gene to environment interactions studies on beta-fibrinogen polymorphisms and cerebral infarction with large sample size are required.