Association between UGT1A1 Gly71Arg polymorphism and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: a meta-analysis

Introduction & Objectives: Several reports have suggested that Gly71Arg polymorphism in uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) may increase the risk of development of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. However, the results have been inconsistent for different populations. The aim of this meta-analysis was to further assess the association between UGT1A1 Gly71Arg polymorphism and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia susceptibility. Materials & Methods: Suitable articles were obtained from online databases like PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Scopus. Summary odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate the strength of association in the fixed or random effects model, depending on the absence or presence of significant heterogeneity. Results: Thirty two eligible studies, involving a total of 7845 participants, which evaluated association of the Gly71Arg polymorphism with susceptibility to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were included in this study. There was a statistically significant association between Gly71Arg polymorphism and hyperbilirubinemia risk in overall studies under all genetic models. However, in the stratified analysis according to ethnicity, no statistical evidence of significant association was observed for Caucasian population. Conclusion: This meta-analysis support a major role of the Gly71Arg variant of the UGT1A1 gene in susceptibility to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Asian population.

hyperbilirubinemia, newborn, meta-analysis, UGT1A1, polymorphism