Abstract: | AIM: To investigate common polymorphisms in VEGF, ACE, TNF and GST genes with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) risk among Chinese infants.METHODS: Nine polymorphisms in the above genes were genotyped on 724 advanced cases of ROP and 878 prematurely-born infants of low birth weight who were without any ophthalmologic disease. The frequencies of the polymorphisms were compared between cases and controls to identify the association present, if any.RESULTS: Of the nine polymorphisms, only two showed significant associations: ACE insertion deletion (ID) polymorphism (P=0.031) and TNF -308G/A polymorphism (P<0.001). The former was associated with a reduced ROP risk [ID genotype, adjusted OR (aOR): 0.603, 95%CI: 0.427-0.893, P=0.034; DD genotype, aOR: 0.468, 95%CI: 0.229-0.626, P=0.002], while the latter showed an increased risk (GA genotype, aOR: 1.956, 95%CI: 1.396-2.465, P<0.001; AA genotype, aOR: 2.809, 95%CI: 1.802-4.484, P<0.001). The association was also noted at the allele level (ACE D allele aOR: 0.698, 95%CI: 0.294-0.883, P<0.001; TNF -308A allele aOR: 1.776, 95%CI: 1.446-2.561, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: The ACE ID polymorphism can protect against ROP development while the TNF -308G/A can increase the risk of the disease among Chinese infants. |