Objective: .To investigate whether the Fcgamma receptor (FCGR) polymorphism confers susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: We conducted metaanalyses on the associations between FCGR polymorphisms and RA susceptibility as determined using (1) allele contrast, (2) recessive models, (3) dominant models, and (4) contrast of homozygotes, using fixed or random effects models.
Results: A total of 10 separate comparisons were considered, which comprised 6 European and 4 Asian population samples. Metaanalysis of FCGR3A polymorphism revealed a significant association between the VV genotype and the risk of developing RA relative to the VF+FF genotype (OR 1.256, 95% CI 1.045-1.510, p = 0.015), with no evidence of between-study heterogeneity (p = 0.167). In subjects of European descent, a stronger association was observed between the VV genotype and RA than for the FF genotype (OR 1.374, 95% CI 1.101-1.714, p = 0.005). In Asians, no such association was found. Metaanalysis of the VV vs FF genotype revealed a significantly increased OR in Europeans (OR 1.399, 95% CI 1.107-1.769, p = 0.005), but not in Asians. No association was found between RA and the FCGR2A and FCGR3B polymorphisms in all subjects and in European and Asian populations, except for the NA22 vs NA11 of FCGR3B in Europeans.
Conclusion: No relation was found between the FCGR2A polymorphism and susceptibility to RA in Europeans or Asians. The FCGR3A polymorphism was found to be associated with RA in Europeans but not in Asians. The FCGR3B polymorphism was associated with RA susceptibility in Europeans.