Importance: To date, no consistency exists across studies that have evaluated the relationship between hepatic lipase gene (LIPC) rs10468017 variant and advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Objective: To summarize all relevant evidence for a relationship between LIPC variant and advanced AMD.
Data sources: The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for studies potentially eligible in any language published up to September 15, 2013.
Study selection: Case-control studies of 2 or more comparison groups that included patients with advanced AMD (choroidal neovascularization or geographic atrophy).
Data extraction and synthesis: Allele frequencies and genotype distributions of rs10468017 variant.
Main outcomes and measures: Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were estimated under different genetic models using meta-analytic methods. A stratified analysis by advanced AMD subtypes and race/ethnicity was performed, as well as a sensitivity analysis.
Results: Data from 10 case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. The rs10468017 variant (C→T) showed significant summary ORs of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.88), 0.83 (95% CI, 0.70-0.98), and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.44-0.81) under the allelic (T vs C), heterozygous (TC vs CC), and homozygous (TT vs CC) models, respectively. Carrying at least 1 copy of the T allele decreased the risk of choroidal neovascularization and geographic atrophy by 20% (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.74-0.87) and 29% (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59-0.86), respectively. The pooled OR for white race/ethnicity under an allelic model was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.74-0.87). The sensitivity analysis indicated the robustness of our findings, and no evidence of publication bias was observed in our meta-analysis.
Conclusions and relevance: Our meta-analysis indicates that LIPC rs10468017 variant is associated with a reduced risk of advanced AMD. This finding may lead to insights regarding the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of AMD.