GENETIC RISK FACTORS FOR MID-PORTION ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

IntroductionAchilles tendinopathy (AT) is a highly prevalent injury in athletes and non-athletes with an unknown aetiology. Genetic risk factors have been a recent focus of investigation. The aim of this systematic review was to determine which loci have been linked with mid-portion AT and could potentially be used as biomarkers in tendinopathy risk models or as preventative or therapeutic targets.Materials and MethodsEight electronic bibliographic databases were searched from inception to April 2015 for cross-sectional, prospective cohort and case-control studies that included empirical research investigating genes associated with mid-portion AT. Potential publications were assessed by two independent reviewers (AAC and PRJ) for inclusion and quality. Quality was evaluated using a validated scale.ResultsTwelve candidate gene studies and three pathway-based genetic association studies that investigated genetic risk factors for AT were identified. According to Ariens's criteria, there was strong evidence f...