A meta-analysis of potential risks of low levels of protein Z for diseases related to vascular thrombosis

SummaryThe relationship between protein Z levels and thrombosis is controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available studies to assess the association between protein Z and vascular thrombotic diseases. We conducted an electronic literature search through MedLine, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, bibliographies of retrieved articles and abstracts of congresses up to October, 2009. Studies were included if they analysed protein Z levels in patients with vascular thrombotic diseases. After the review process, 28 case-control studies (33 patient cohorts), including 4,218 patients with thrombotic diseases and 4,778 controls, were selected for analysis. The overall analysis using a random-effects model showed that low protein Z levels were associated with an increased risk of thrombosis (odds ratio [OR] 2.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05–4.12; p<0.00001). On subgroup analysis, a significant association was found between low protein Z levels and arterial vascular diseases (OR 2.67, 95%CI 1.60–4.48; p=0.0002), pregnancy complications (OR 4.17, 95%CI 2.31–7.52; p<0.00001), and venous thromboembolic diseases (OR 2.18, 95%CI 1.19–4.00; p=0.01). The results of this meta-analysis are consistent with a role for protein Z deficiency in thrombotic diseases, including arterial thrombosis, pregnancy complications and venous thromboembolism.

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Association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a meta-analysis

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01604-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yanli Liu ◽

Yilong Pan ◽

Yuyao Yin ◽

Wenhao Chen ◽

Xiaodong Li

Keyword(s):

Fixed Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Potential Association ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Language Restriction ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

Abstract Background The numbers of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 related deaths are still increasing, so it is very important to determine the risk factors of COVID-19. Dyslipidemia is a common complication in patients with COVID-19, but the association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of COVID-19 is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the potential association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Methods We searched the PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases for all relevant studies up to August 24, 2020. All the articles published were retrieved without language restriction. All analysis was performed using Stata 13.1 software and Mantel–Haenszel formula with fixed effects models was used to compare the differences between studies. The Newcastle Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results Twenty-eight studies involving 12,995 COVID-19 patients were included in the meta-analysis, which was consisted of 26 cohort studies and 2 case–control studies. Dyslipidemia was associated with the severity of COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.44, P = 0.038, I2 = 39.8%). Further, patients with dyslipidemia had a 2.13-fold increased risk of death compared to patients without dyslipidemia (95% CI 1.84–2.47, P = 0.001, I2 = 66.4%). Conclusions The results proved that dyslipidemia is associated with increased severity and mortality of COVID-19. Therefore, we should monitor blood lipids and administer active treatments in COVID-19 patients with dyslipidemia to reduce the severity and mortality.

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Oral Contraceptive Use and Breast Cancer Risk Assessment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies, 2009–2020

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13225654 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 5654

Author(s):

Agnieszka Barańska ◽

Agata Błaszczuk ◽

Wiesław Kanadys ◽

Maria Malm ◽

Katarzyna Drop ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Oral Contraceptive ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Control ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

To perform a meta-analysis of case-control studies that addressed the association between oral contraceptive pills (OC) use and breast cancer (BrCa), PubMED (MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify case-control studies of OC and BrCa published between 2009 and 2020. We used the DerSimonian–Laird method to compute pooled odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs), and the Mantel–Haenszel test to assess the association between OC use and cancer. Forty-two studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and we included a total of 110,580 women (30,778 into the BrCa group and 79,802 into the control group, of which 15,722 and 38,334 were using OC, respectively). The conducted meta-analysis showed that the use of OC was associated with a significantly increased risk of BrCa in general, OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.31, p = 0.0358. Regarding other risk factors for BrCa, we found that increased risk was associated significantly with early menarche, nulliparous, non-breastfeeding, older age at first parity, postmenopause, obesity, smoking, and family history of BrCa. Despite our conclusion that birth control pills increase the cancer risk being supported by extensive previous studies and meta-analyzes, further confirmation is required.

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TLR9 Rs352140 polymorphism contributes to a decreased risk of bacterial meningitis: evidence from a meta-analysis

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268820002666 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 148 ◽

Author(s):

Haiyi Xue ◽

Huan Peng ◽

Jiaoming Li ◽

Mingming Li ◽

Song Lu

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Meningitis ◽

Genetic Model ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Cochrane Library

Abstract Some studies have suggested that the Toll-like receptor 9 polymorphism (TLR9 rs352140) is closely related to the risk of bacterial meningitis (BM), but this is subject to controversy. This study set out to estimate whether the TLR9 rs352140 polymorphism confers an increased risk of BM. Relevant literature databases were searched including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to August 2020. Seven case-control studies from four publications were enrolled in the present meta-analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to estimate associations between BM risk and the target polymorphism. Significant associations identified were allele contrast (A vs. G: OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.59–0.75, P = 0.000), homozygote comparison (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49–0.78, P = 0.000), heterozygote comparison (A vs. G: OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61–0.91, P = 0.005), recessive genetic model (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.93, P = 0.006) and dominant genetic model (AA vs. AG/GG: OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.85, P = 0.000). The findings indicate that, in contrast to some studies, the TLR9 rs352140 polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk for BM.

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Cannabis Smoking And Risk Of Lung Cancer - A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis

International Journal of Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.15342/ijms.v1i2.57 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 31-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Khalid Bouti ◽

Rajae Borki ◽

Hicham Fenane ◽

Laila Harrak

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Control ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Open Access Journals ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Cannabis Smoking

Background: Cannabis is the illicit psychoactive substance the most consumed in the world. Little is known about the association between the use of cannabis and the risk of lung cancer. Objective:The objective of this meta-analysis is to determine whether use of cannabis is a risk factor for lung cancer. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of all languages articles using relevant computerised databases. MEDLINE (online PubMed), Web of knowledge, Embase, EBSCO CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Directory of Open Access Journals were searched to September 2014 for cohorts and case-control studies that assessed the risk of lung cancer associated with cannabis smoking. The literature search was performed with a combination of medical subject headings terms, "cannabis" and "lung neoplasms". Data extraction: Two investigators independently analysed and extracted results from eligible studies. Our study's registration number on PROSPERO is CRD42014008872. Results: The search strategy identified 2476 citations. 13 studies were eligible for inclusion: 2 pooled analysis of 9 case-control studies, one case-control study and 3 cohorts. The cumulative analysis for all the studies under a fixed-effects model showed that cannabis smoking determined an increased risk of developing lung cancer in the future (relative risk 1.22, 95% confidence interval 0.999–1.5; p=0.051), with no evidence of heterogeneity across the studies (I2: 34%; p¼0.01). Conclusions: The use of cannabis with or without tobacco smoking is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer

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COX-2 gene rs689466 polymorphisms associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer among Caucasians

10.21203/rs.3.rs-17753/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hui Zhao ◽

Chen Chen ◽

Mohammad Amzad Ali

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Potential Case ◽

Cox 2 ◽

Stratified Analysis ◽

Strength Of Association

Abstract Background Several studies have reported the Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) rs689466 polymorphism as a susceptibility locus of colorectal cancer (CRC), but their findings are inconsistent. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to more accurately identify the effects of this polymorphism on CRC risk. Methods Potential case-control studies on EMBASE, Google of Scholar, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PubMed were searched. The strength of association was quantified by pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Totally 16 articles involving 8,998 cases and 11,917 controls were included. Results None of the five tested genetic models revealed any significant association between rs689466 polymorphism and CRC risk. Stratified analysis by ethnicity uncovered a significant association between this polymorphism and higher CRC risk in Caucasians, but not in Asians. In addition, we found high expression of COX-2 was associated with better overall survival for all CRC patients. Conclusion To sum up, the COX-2 rs689466 polymorphism may be related with susceptibility to CRC in Caucasians. This finding should be verified by larger-size studies with different ethnic groups.

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Cigarette smoking and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016582 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. e016582 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Mengjuan Long ◽

Zhenming Fu ◽

Ping Li ◽

Zhihua Nie

Keyword(s):

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ◽

Cigarette Smoking ◽

Reference Group ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Undifferentiated Type ◽

Never Smokers

ObjectiveThe role of cigarette smoking as an independent risk factor for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is controversial. We attempted to provide evidence of a reliable association between cigarette smoking and the risk of NPC.DesignMeta-analysis.Data sourcesPubMed online and the Cochrane Library of relevant studies published up to February 2016.Eligibility criteriaAll studies had to evaluate the relationship between NPC and cigarette smoking with never smokers as the reference group.OutcomesThe primary outcome was the adjusted OR, RR or HR of NPC patients comparing smoking with never-smoking; the second was the crude OR, RR or HR.ResultsWe identified 17 case–control studies and 4 cohort studies including 5960 NPC cases and 429 464 subjects. Compared with never smokers, current smokers and ever smokers had a 59% and a 56% greater risk of NPC, respectively. A dose–response relationship was identified in that the risk estimate rose by 15% (p<0.001) with every additional 10 pack-years of smoking, and risk increased with intensity of cigarette smoking (>30 cigarettes per day). Significantly increased risk was only found among male smokers (OR, 1.36; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.60), not among female smokers (OR, 1.58; 95% CI 0.99 to 2.53). Significantly increased risk also existed in the differentiated (OR, 2.34; 95% CI 1.77 to 3.09) and the undifferentiated type of NPC (OR, 1.15; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.46). Moreover, people who started smoking at younger age (<18 years) had a greater risk than those starting later for developing NPC (OR, 1.78; 95% CI 1.41 to 2.25).ConclusionsCigarette smoking was associated with increased risk of NPC, especially for young smokers. However, we did not find statistical significant risks of NPC in women and in undifferentiated type, which might warrant further researches.

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Plasma Levels of Protein Z in Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1708878 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 120 (05) ◽

pp. 815-822

Author(s):

Artur Słomka ◽

Mariusz Kowalewski ◽

Ewa Żekanowska ◽

Piotr Suwalski ◽

Roberto Lorusso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Phase ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

The United States ◽

Case Control ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Protein Z ◽

Convalescent Phase

AbstractThe association between blood levels of protein Z (PZ) and risk of ischemic stroke remains poorly understood. We aimed to assess this potential relationship through a meta-analysis of case–control studies. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and the Cochrane Library were searched from April 1984 to April 2019. We selected case–control studies comparing PZ levels in adult patients with ischemic stroke and controls without ischemic stroke. Six case–control studies, with a total of 1,011 ischemic stroke patients and 1,128 controls, were included. Patients in the acute phase of ischemic stroke showed significantly higher levels of PZ compared with patients in the convalescent phase (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.289 mg/L; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.010, 0.569; p = 0.043). No significant differences in PZ levels were found between patients and controls in the acute phase (SMD: −0.059 mg/L; 95% CI: −0.570, 0.452; p = 0.821) or in the convalescent phase of ischemic stroke (SMD: −0.341 mg/L; 95% CI: −0.736, 0.055; p = 0.091). Subgroup analysis indicated that older patients (≥ 50 years old) had lower PZ levels than similarly aged controls. In contrast, when the study groups came from the United States and Australia or Europe no significant differences in PZ levels existed between patients and controls. No association between PZ and ischemic stroke was identified in this meta-analysis. The acute phase of ischemic stroke was associated with higher levels of PZ.

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A Meta-Analysis on the Relationship Between Hair Dye and the Incidence of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Medical Principles and Practice ◽

10.1159/000496447 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 222-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ling Qin ◽

Hui-Yang Deng ◽

Sheng-Jiang Chen ◽

Wei Wei

Keyword(s):

Hodgkin’S Lymphoma ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hodgkin's Lymphoma ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Hair Dyes ◽

Hair Dye ◽

Non Hodgkin’S Lymphoma ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Background: Epidemiologic studies have suggested hair dye to be a risk factor for many cancers. However, previous studies on the association between the personal use of hair dye and risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) have been inconclusive. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, as well as the references cited in included studies, were searched for relevant studies up to February 10, 2015. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were applied to assess the strength of the association. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot by Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Results: A total of 16 studies were included in the analysis, including 13 case-control studies and 3 cohort studies. The present meta-analysis results revealed that the risk of NHL in a high population of hair dye users was 14% (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01–1.29). Furthermore, individuals who used more than 20 pack-years of hair dye had increased risk of NHL. Conclusion: The outcomes indicate that hair dye use increases the risk of NHL, especially for females. Hence, people who frequently use hair dyes or have been using hair dyes for more than 20 years should minimize their exposure to hair dye products to prevent the risk of NHL.

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Birth Weight and Subsequent Risk of Total Leukemia and Acute Leukemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Pediatrics ◽

10.3389/fped.2021.722471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Hailuo Che ◽

Dunmei Long ◽

Qian Sun ◽

Lina Wang ◽

Yunbin Li

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Pooled Analysis ◽

Case Control ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Relationship ◽

Dose Dependent

Objective: Birth weight, an important indicator of fetal nutrition and degree of development, may affect the risk of subsequent leukemia. At present, little is known about the effect of birth weight on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and whether there is a dose-dependent relationship of birth weight with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) and AML. To address these questions, the present work aimed to systematically investigate the relationship between birth weight and the risk of subsequent leukemia based on the current epidemiological studiesMethods: Relevant studies were systematically retrieved from electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, from inception to May 15th, 2021. Finally, 28 studies (including 21 case-control studies and 7 cohort studies) were included for the final meta-analysis. Results in cohort studies were performed by risk ratios (RRs), while those in case-control studies by odds ratios (ORs), and all results were assessed by adopting the random-effect model. Besides, a dose-dependent analysis was conducted based on the cohort studies.Results: Compared with the population with normal birth weight (NBW), the population with high birth weight (HBW) might have an increased risk of leukemia (OR 1.33, 95%CI 1.20–1.49; I2 0%). Meanwhile, low birth weight (LBW) was associated with a decreased risk of ALL, as evidenced from the pooled analysis of case-control studies (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75–0.92; I2 23.3%). However, relative to NBW population, the HBW population might have an increased risk of ALL (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.20–1.35; I2 7%). There was no obvious evidence supporting the relationship between LBW and the risk of AML from the pooled analysis of case-control studies (OR, 1.11 95% CI 0.87–1.42; I2 31.7%).Conclusions: Overall, in children and young adults, HBW population may be associated with the risks of subsequent leukemia and AML relative to NBW population, but the supporting dose-dependent evidence is lacking. In addition, compared with NBW population, there is stronger evidence supporting a significantly increased risk of subsequent ALL in HBW population, and a decreased risk in LBW population in a dose-dependent manner. More prospective studies with large samples are warranted in the future to validate and complement these findings.

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COX-2 gene rs689466 polymorphism is associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer among Caucasians: a meta-analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-17753/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yong-Chen Zhang ◽

Hui Zhao ◽

Chen Chen ◽

Mohammad Amzad Ali

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Positive Association ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Potential Case ◽

Cox 2 ◽

Stratified Analysis ◽

Strength Of Association

Abstract Background: Several studies have reported the Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) rs689466 polymorphism as a susceptibility locus of colorectal cancer (CRC), but their findings are inconsistent. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to more accurately identify the effects of this polymorphism on CRC risk. Methods: Potential case-control studies on EMBASE, Google of Scholar, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PubMed were searched. The strength of association was quantified by pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Totally 16 articles involving 8,998 cases and 11,917 controls were included. Results: None of the five tested genetic models revealed an association between rs689466 polymorphism and CRC risk. Stratified analysis by ethnicity uncovered a positive association between this polymorphism and higher CRC risk in Caucasians, but not in Asians. In addition, we found high expression of COX-2 was associated with better overall survival for all CRC patients. Conclusion: To sum up, the COX-2 rs689466 polymorphism may be related with susceptibility to CRC in Caucasians. This finding should be verified by larger-size studies with different ethnic groups.

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