To conclude, using the cumulative data from 78 English and Chinese publications, this meta-analysis found strong associations of ADH1B Arg48His in the combined populations, in particular, in Asians, using both the allelic and genotypic analyses. When both strict and extended criteria as well as the sub-group analyses were imposed, the strong associations remained consistent. Our findings support that the His allele can greatly lower the risk against AD and alcohol abuse as well as alcohol-induced medical diseases, and thus, provide strong evidence for the involvement of the human ADH1B gene in the pathogenesis of AD and alcohol-induced diseases in multiple populations, in particular, in the Asian populations.
