Association between F508 deletion in CFTR and chronic pancreatitis risk

Abstract

Background: The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) has been reported to influence individual susceptibility to chronic pancreatitis (CP), but the results of previous studies are controversial.

Aims: We performed a study to demonstrate the relationship between CFTR and CP.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for studies of patients with CP. Seven studies from 1995 to 2016 were identified, and included 64,832 patients. Pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results: F508 deletion in CFTR was significantly positively associated with CP risk in the overall analysis (odds ratio [OR]=3.20, 95% CI: 2.30-4.44, I²=31.7%). In subgroup analysis stratified by ethnicity, F508 deletion was significantly associated with CP risk in Indian populations, using a fixed effects model (ORs=5.45, 95% CI: 2.52-11.79, I²=0.0%), and in non-Indian populations, using a random effects model (ORs=3.59, 95% CI: 1.73-7.48, I²=60.9%). At the same time, we found that Indians with F508 deletion had much higher CP prevalence than non-Indians. Interestingly, F508 deletion was also associated with CP and idiopathic CP risk in subgroup analysis stratified by aeitiology, using the fixed effects model.

Conclusions: Based on current evidence, F508 deletion is a risk factor for CP, and Indians with F508 deletion have much higher CP morbidity.

Keywords: CFTR; Chronic pancreatitis; F508 deletion; Idiopathic chronic pancreatitis; Meta-analysis.