An additional ad hoc meta-analysis was performed on studies that reported a complete MBL2 genotypic profile inclusive of promoter polymorphisms. Although only a minority of

studies reported such data, this group was chosen as such genotype profiles are associated considerably more strongly with MBL serum levels than structural genotypes alone. Using this subset, patients and controls were reanalysed based on the frequency of high or low MBL-producing genotype. O/O and XA/O were considered low MBL-producing genotypes in this analysis, with other genotypes considered to be high MBL-producing. This analysis, shown in Fig. 3, did not demonstrate a significant effect of MBL2 genotype on likelihood of pulmonary TB infection

[25,28,31,33], with results influenced significantly by a single outlying study. Genotypes in HIV-positive patients.  Two studies [31,33] contained sufficient data to allow comparison of MBL2 wild-type versus MBL2 selleck chemicals variant compound heterozygote genotype frequency in HIV-positive patients with and without tuberculosis infection versus healthy control. These studies included a total of 173 cases and 393 controls, and summary data are presented in Table 2. The two studies analysed conflict directly, with one Selleck PD0332991 suggesting a protective effect of wild-type MBL2 genotypes and the other suggesting an increased susceptibility to TB infection. Neither study achieved statistical significance independently. When considered together, these results do not show a significant association between deficiency-associated MBL2 genotypes and TB susceptibility (OR 1·2, 95% CI 0·54–2·82). Serum MBL levels in HIV-negative patients.  Eight studies reported collection of serum MBL levels from at least some

subjects [19,20,23,27,28,33–35]. One study was excluded because it reported MBL levels in subjects with TB but not controls [28]. One study presented MBL levels only according to subject genotype, and the data did not permit overall comparison of subjects and controls [23]. One study was available only in abstract form in English and did not contain sufficient detail for inclusion [20]. One study contained data only on HIV-positive subjects [33]. In total, four studies contained sufficient data to allow comparison of serum MBL levels Tryptophan synthase in HIV-negative patients with and without tuberculosis [19,27,33–35]. The included studies contained a total of 341 patients with active tuberculosis and 349 controls. Three of the studies reported that serum was collected for MBL sampling prior to or shortly after the introduction of anti-TB therapy [19,27,35], while in the remaining study timing of sample collection was not reported [34]. One study also reported sampling an additional group of patients after completion of therapy [27]. In one study, MBL levels were not available in the published text, but were kindly provided for inclusion ([19]; P. Garred, personal communication).