The association of MTHFR C677T variant with increased risk of ischemic stroke in the elderly population: a meta-analysis of observational studies

Background C677T point mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene have been found to be associated with ischemic stroke in general population, while the results seem inconsistent. We aim to assess the association between variant MTHFR C677T variant and increased risk of ischemic stroke and focus on the elderly population. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for eligible studies. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with the two-tailed 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by using a random effects model to evaluate any possible association. Among the Chinese and non-Chinese populations, we conducted a subgroup analysis. Results The electronic database search yielded 1,358 citations as of December 2017; finally, nine case-control studies involving 3,337 subjects fulfilled our eligibility criteria for inclusion in the study. The pooled results showed that MTHFR C677T variant increased the risk of ischemic stroke (OR = 1.23, 95%CI 1.06–1.43, P = 0.0067 for CT + TT vs. CC; OR = 1.18, 95%CI 1.01–1.38, P = 0.0333 for CT vs. CC; OR = 1.41, 95%CI 1.14–1.75, P = 0.0016 for TT vs. CC; OR = 1.27, 95%CI 1.05–1.54, P = 0.0145 for TT vs. CC + CT; OR = 1.18, 95%CI 1.06–1.31, P = 0.0023 for T-allele vs. C-allele). Further subgroup analyses in the Chinese population indicated that MTHFR C677T variant was associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke. Conclusion Our findings showed that T-allele increases risk for stroke in the pooled sample. This association was statistically significant in the Chinese cohorts and showed a similar trend in the non-Chinese cohorts. (Word count: 237).