Associations between Apolipoprotein E(APOE) polymorphisms and Cerebral Palsy: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background Apolipoprotein E (APOE ) is one of the main apolipoproteins playing important roles in the central neuronal system. The relationship between polymorphisms and cerebral palsy (CP) is contradictory.Methods The overall experimental studies of APOE polymorphisms and CP risk were researched. We conducted eligible studies identified from Elsevier Science Direct, PubMed, Springer Link, WEB OF SCIENCE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and WanFang Data up to February 2019 to make a systematic review.Results Totally 10 eligible studies were used to meta-analysis (1570 CP cases and 1982 subjects). Significant associations with CP were observed for APOE polymorphisms in allele (ε4: P < 0.001, OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.99; ε2: P = 0.04, OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.96) and dominant (E4 carriers: P = 0.004, OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.92) models in overall analyses. Interestingly, subgroup analysis indicated a significant increased risk for CP in Chinese patients of CP with APOE ε4 (P<0.00001, OR 3.71, 95% CI 2.37 to 5.78) and E4 carriers(P<0.00001, OR 3.95, 95% CI 2.38 to 6.53), but not with APOE ε2 (P=0.69, OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.65).Conclusions Combined with the results of our analysis, we concluded that the risk of CP was significantly increased in ε4 individuals. But meta-analysis yielded an incongruent result for the APOE ε2 allele between in multi-ethnic samples and in Chinese subgroup. These conclusions should be confirmed through further studies.

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Serum uric acid levels and risk of prehypertension: a meta-analysis

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) ◽

10.1515/cclm-2016-0339 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Menglin Jiang ◽

Dandan Gong ◽

Yu Fan

Keyword(s):

Uric Acid ◽

Serum Uric Acid ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Elevated Serum ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Cross Sectional Studies ◽

The Relationship

AbstractElevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels may increase the risk of prehypertension. However, the findings from these studies remain conflicting. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between SUA levels and risk of prehypertension by conducting a meta-analysis. We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and the Wangfang database without language restrictions through May 2015. Observational studies assessing the relationship between SUA levels and prevalence of prehypertension were included. Pooled adjust odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of prehypertension were calculated for the highest vs. lowest SUA levels. Prehypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) ranging from 120 to 139 mmHg or diastolic BP ranging from 80 to 89 mmHg. Eight cross-sectional studies with a total of 21,832 prehypertensive individuals were included. Meta-analysis showed that elevated SUA levels were associated with increased risk of prehypertension (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.42–2.38) comparing the highest vs. lowest level of SUA levels. Subgroup analyses showed that elevated SUA levels significantly increased the risk of prehypertension among men (OR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.12–2.21) and women (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.17–2.16). Elevated SUA levels are positively associated with the risk of prehypertension in the general population. However, more well-designed longitudinal studies are needed before a definitive conclusion can be drawn due to the cross-sectional studies included are susceptible to bias.

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Association between HLA-DP Gene Polymorphisms and Cervical Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2018/7301595 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lin Cheng ◽

Yan Guo ◽

Shipeng Zhan ◽

Peiyuan Xia

Keyword(s):

Cervical Cancer ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Gene Polymorphisms ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Human Leukocyte ◽

Cervical Cancer Risk ◽

Leukocyte Antigens ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Relationship

Objective. We aimed to derive a more precise estimation of the associations between human leukocyte antigens DP (HLA-DP) gene polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk by meta-analysis. Methods. PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases were systematically searched to identify studies investigating the relationship between HLA-DP gene polymorphisms and cervical cancer. The associations between them were evaluated by pooled OR and 95% CI. Results. A total of 11 studies including 5008 cases and 9322 controls with 11 HLA-DP alleles were included in the current meta-analysis. Results. The results showed that HLA-DPB1⁎03:01 was significantly associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer (OR=1.252, 95%CI: 1.116-1.403, Pz=0.001), while HLA-DPB1⁎04:02 and HLA-DP rs3117027 G allele were significantly associated with a decreased risk of cervical cancer (OR=0.744, 95%CI: 0.652-0.848, Pz=0.001; OR=0.790, 95%CI: 0.745-0.837, Pz=0.001), and HLA-DP rs9277535 G allele was significantly associated with a decreased risk of cervical cancer in Asia (OR=0.802, 95%CI: 0.753-0.855, Pz=0.001). Subgroup analyses based on race system showed that HLA-DPB1⁎13:01 was significantly associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer in Asia (OR=1.834, 95%CI: 1.107-3.039, Pz=0.019). No significant association was established for the HLA-DP following alleles: DPB1⁎02:01, DPB1⁎02:02, DPB1⁎04:01, DPB1⁎05:01, rs4282438, and rs3077. Conclusion. HLA-DP gene polymorphisms (HLA-DPB1⁎03:01, DPB1⁎04:02, DPB1⁎13:01, rs9277535, and rs3117027) were significantly associated with cervical cancer.

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TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms and breast carcinoma susceptibility: A meta-analysis

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2009.27.15_suppl.e22171 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e22171-e22171

Author(s):

B. Zhu ◽

W. Zhuo ◽

Z. Chen

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Breast Carcinoma ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Codon 72 ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure

e22171 Background: Previously, TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms have been implicated as risk factors for various cancers. Several studies have conducted on the association of TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms with susceptibility to breast carcinoma and have yielded inconclusive results. The aim of the present study was to assess possible associations of breast cancer risk with TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms. Methods: We conducted a search in the Medline, EMBASE, OVID, Sciencedirect, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) without a language limitation, covering all papers published up to Dec 2008. The associated literature was acquired through deliberate searching and selected based on the established inclusion criteria for publications. Results: Consequently, fifteen studies, including 3436 cases and 4394 controls, met the included criteria and thus were selected. Ultimately, the relevant data were extracted and further analyzed using systematic meta- analyses. The results showed that individuals carrying homozygote Arg/Arg genotype have a significant increased risk of breast cancer compared with those carrying Pro/Pro genotype (OR: 1.58, 95%CI:1.10–2.28). For Arg allele, no evidence indicated that individuals with Arg/Arg genotype have an increased risk of breast cancer compared with those with a combined Pro genotype (Arg/Pro+Pro/Pro) (OR: 1.68, 95%CI:1.24–2.29). For Pro allele, individuals with homozygote Pro/Pro genotype have a marked decreased susceptibility to breast cancer relative to those with a combined Arg genotype (Arg/Pro+Arg/Arg) (OR: 0.84, 95%CI:0.73–0.98). Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that TP53 codon 72 polymorphisms might be a risk factor for breast cancer. Homozygote Arg allele genotype could significantly increase susceptibility to breast cancer, while Pro/Pro allele markedly decreases breast risk. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Education Level and Long‐term Mortality, Recurrent Stroke, and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Journal of the American Heart Association ◽

10.1161/jaha.120.016671 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (16) ◽

Author(s):

Bizhong Che ◽

Suwen Shen ◽

Zhengbao Zhu ◽

Aili Wang ◽

Tan Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Recurrent Stroke ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Education Level ◽

Chinese Patients ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

The Relationship

Background Epidemiological studies have reported discrepant findings on the relationship between education level and outcomes after stroke. We aimed to prospectively investigate the relationship between education level and mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events in Chinese patients with ischemic stroke. Methods and Results We included 3861 participants from the China Antihypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke. Education level was categorized as illiteracy, primary school, middle school, and college. Study outcomes were all‐cause mortality, stroke‐specific mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events within 2 years after ischemic stroke. A meta‐analysis was conducted to incorporate the results of the current study and previous other studies on the association of education level with outcomes after stroke. Within 2 years after ischemic stroke, there were 327 (8.5%) all‐cause deaths, 264 (6.8%) stroke‐specific deaths, 303 (7.9%) recurrent strokes, and 364 (9.4%) cardiovascular events, respectively. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that patients with the lowest education level had the highest cumulative incidence rates of all‐cause mortality, stroke‐specific mortality, and cardiovascular events (log‐rank P ≤0.01). After adjusted for covariates, hazard ratios and 95% CIs of illiteracy versus college education were 2.79 (1.32–5.87) for all‐cause mortality, 3.68 (1.51–8.98) for stroke‐specific mortality, 2.82 (1.20–6.60) for recurrent stroke, and 3.46 (1.50–7.95) for cardiovascular events. The meta‐analysis confirmed the significant association between education status and mortality after stroke (pooled relative risk for lowest versus highest education level, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.05–1.46]). Conclusions Low education level was significantly associated with increased risk of mortality, recurrent stroke, and cardiovascular events after ischemic stroke, independently of established risk factors. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT01840072.

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ASSOCIATION OF TNF- α-308G>A POLYMORPHISM WITH SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CELIAC DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Arquivos de Gastroenterologia ◽

10.1590/s0004-2803.201900000-20 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 88-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Majid AFLATOONIAN ◽

Mansour MOGHIMI ◽

Mohammad Javad AKBARIAN-BAFGHI ◽

Majid MOROVATI-SHARIFABAD ◽

Mohammad Hossein JARAHZADEH ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Celiac Disease ◽

Disease Susceptibility ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Larger Sample

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence to show that TNF-α -308G>A polymorphism may be a risk factor for celiac disease, but the results are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: Thus, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis involving published studies up to January 2019 to elucidate the association. METHODS: To assess the effect of TNF-α -308G>A polymorphism on celiac disease susceptibility, we searched PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases to identify eligible studies, without restriction. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the susceptibility to celiac disease. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies with 1147 cases and 1774 controls were selected for this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that TNF-α -308G>A polymorphism was associated with increased risk of celiac disease (A vs G: OR=2.077, 95% CI=1.468-2.939, P=≤0.001; AA vs GG: OR=8.512, 95% CI=3.740-19.373, P=≤0.001; AA+AG vs GG: OR=1.869, 95% CI=1.161-3.008, P=0.010; and AA+AG vs GG: OR=4.773, 95% CI=3.181-7.162, P≤0.001). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity also revealed significant association in Caucasians. In addition, there was a significant association between TNF-α -308G>A polymorphism and celiac disease risk in Italy, Spain and PCR-FRLP group studies. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis suggests that the TNF-α -308G>A polymorphism plays an important role in celiac disease susceptibility. However, our results are still needed to strengthen by further studies in different ethnicities and larger sample sizes.

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Meta-Analysis of the Association between Vitiligo and Human Leukocyte Antigen-A

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2016/5412806 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhangjun Li ◽

Jianwen Ren ◽

Xinwu Niu ◽

Qingqiang Xu ◽

Xiaopeng Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Leukocyte Antigen ◽

Subgroup Analysis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Human Leukocyte ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Leukocyte Antigen ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Typing Methods ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure

Objective. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the association between vitiligo and human leukocyte antigen- (HLA-) A.Methods. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and reference lists were searched for relevant original articles.Results. Nineteen case-control studies comprising 3042 patients and 5614 controls were included, in which 33 HLA-A alleles were reported. Overall, three alleles (HLA-A⁎02,A⁎33, and Aw⁎31) were significantly associated with increased risk of vitiligo, two (HLA-A⁎09 and Aw⁎19) were associated with decreased risk, and the remaining 28 were unassociated. Twelve alleles, seven alleles, and 19 alleles were common to three ethnicities, both types of vitiligo, and both typing methods, respectively. In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity and typing methods, the association of six alleles and five alleles was inconsistent in three populations and both typing methods, respectively. In the subgroup analysis by clinical type, the association of all seven alleles was consistent in both types of vitiligo.Conclusion. The meta-analysis suggests that HLA-A⁎02,A⁎33, and Aw⁎31 are associated with increased risk of vitiligo, while HLA-A⁎09 and Aw⁎19 are associated with decreased risk of vitiligo. The association of some alleles varies in terms of ethnicity and typing methods.

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Lack of Association between rs4680 Polymorphism in Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Gene and Alcohol Use Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

Disease Markers ◽

10.1155/2020/8850859 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Xin-Rong Jin ◽

Zhi-Qiang Zhao

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Subgroup Analysis ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Methyltransferase Gene ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure

Background. The underlying mechanisms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are regarded to be strongly associated with genetic factors. Although great efforts have been made to identify the association of rs4680 polymorphism in the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene and risk to AUD, the outcomes were still inconsistent. This study is aimed at exploring the association of rs4680 polymorphism and AUD by using a meta-analysis approach. Methods. Literature searching was undertaken across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases. We set the search period before February 20, 2020. We used the Review Manager 5.3 (RevMan 5.3) software to estimate the effect sizes in five genetic models. Results. In total, eighteen case-control studies and two cohort studies were included in this study. The merged results of overall population indicated there was no significant association between rs4680 polymorphism and AUD: V vs. M, OR = 1.02 , 95% CI 0.93-1.12, P = 0.70 ; VV vs. MM, OR = 0.99 , 95% CI 0.79-1.23, P = 0.92 ; VM vs. MM, OR = 0.91 , 95% CI 0.81-1.03, P = 0.15 ; VV+VM vs. MM, OR = 0.95 , 95% CI 0.80-1.13, P = 0.65 ; VV vs. VM+MM, OR = 1.04 , 95% CI 0.91-1.18, P = 0.57 . Subgroup analysis by gender suggested rs4680 polymorphism was marginally associated with an elevated risk to AUD among males (VM vs. MM, OR = 0.81 , 95% CI 0.67-0.98, P = 0.03 ). However, subgroup analysis by race and diagnosis did not support any significant association. Conclusions. The present study suggests that rs4680 polymorphism has no association with AUD in the overall population, but it has a weak association with AUD in males. Carriers of VM genotype in males appear to have an increased risk to AUD.

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Association of PTPN22-C1858T Polymorphism With Susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae Infection: A Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Immunology ◽

10.3389/fimmu.2021.592841 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Shuping Li ◽

Xiaohua Wang ◽

Yuming Zhao ◽

Juan Yang ◽

Tianjiao Cui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Tyrosine Phosphatase ◽

Mycobacterial Infection ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Autoimmune Conditions ◽

High Degree ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure

It was previously published that single-nucleotide polymorphism rs2476601 (PTPN22 [protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22]-C1858T) might be related to increased sensibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae infection. However, the results were inconclusive despite a high degree of similarity between both parameters. Herein, we carried out this meta-analysis to systematically summarize and articulate the correlation between PTPN22-C1858T polymorphism and mycobacterial infection. The susceptibility of PTPN22-C1858T carriers with autoimmune conditions receiving immunosuppressive therapy to M. tuberculosis and M. leprae infection was determined. A systematic retrieval of studies on relevance of PTPN22-C1858T polymorphism to susceptibility of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae infection was performed in Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed and Embase databases. We regarded Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the determined effect size. Finally, four and two case-control studies on tuberculosis and leprosy, respectively, were included. In all genetic models, without indicated association between PTPN22-C1858T polymorphism and tuberculosis’s susceptibility. [C versus T: OR = 0.22 (95% CI: 0.09–0.50, PH = 0.887); CT versus CC: OR = 0.21 (95% CI: 0.09–0.49, PH = 0.889); TT+CT versus CC: OR = 0.21 (95% CI: 0.09–0.49, PH = 0.889)]. A significantly increased risk of leprosy was perceived in patients with the PTPN22-C1858T polymorphism [C versus T: OR = 2.82 (95% CI: 1.02–7.81, PH = 0.108)]. While the PTPN22-C1858T polymorphism is irrelevant to higher susceptibility to the infection of M. tuberculosis in Caucasians and Asians, it is relevant to increased susceptibility to the infection of M. leprae. However, the results of M. leprae are supposed to interpreted with prudence owing to the limited quantity of studies and heterogeneity. Further well-designed studies with sufficient populations are required to verify our conclusions.

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ASSOCIATION OF RS2435357 AND RS1800858 POLYMORPHISMS IN RET PROTO-ONCOGENE WITH HIRSCHSPRUNG DISEASE: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

ABCD Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia Digestiva (São Paulo) ◽

10.1590/0102-672020190001e1448 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Abdolhamid AMOOEE ◽

Mohamad Hosein LOOKZADEH ◽

Seyed Reza MIRJALILI ◽

Seyed Mohsen MIRESMAEILI ◽

Kazem AGHILI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hirschsprung Disease ◽

Recessive Model ◽

Accurate Estimation ◽

Dominant Model ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Allele Model

ABSTRACT Introduction: Many published studies have estimated the association of rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the proto-oncogene rearranged during transfection (RET) gene with Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) risk. However, the results remain inconsistent and controversial. Aim: To perform a meta-analysis get a more accurate estimation of the association of rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the RET proto-oncogene with HSCR risk. Methods: The eligible literatures were searched by PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to June 30, 2018. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the susceptibility to HSCR. Results: A total of 20 studies, including ten (1,136 cases 2,420 controls) for rs2435357 and ten (917 cases 1,159 controls) for rs1800858 were included. The overall results indicated that the rs2435357 (allele model: OR=0.230, 95% CI 0.178-0.298, p=0.001; homozygote model: OR=0.079, 95% CI 0.048-0.130, p=0.001; heterozygote model: OR=0.149, 95% CI 0.048-0.130, p=0.001; dominant model: OR=0.132, 95% CI 0.098-0.179, p=0.001; and recessive model: OR=0.239, 95% CI 0.161-0.353, p=0.001) and rs1800858 (allele model: OR=5.594, 95% CI 3.653-8.877, p=0.001; homozygote model: OR=8.453, 95% CI 3.783-18.890, p=0.001; dominant model: OR=3.469, 95% CI 1.881-6.396, p=0.001; and recessive model: OR=6.120, 95% CI 3.608-10.381, p=0.001) polymorphisms were associated with the increased risk of HSCR in overall. Conclusions: The results suggest that the rs2435357 and rs1800858 polymorphisms in the RET proto-oncogene might be associated with HSCR risk.

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Effect of somatometric parameters on the prevalence and severity of varicocele: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology ◽

10.1186/s12958-021-00695-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Runqing Li ◽

Junjie Liu ◽

Yushan Li ◽

Quanxian Wang

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Regression Test ◽

Mean Differences ◽

Q Statistic ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Published studies have shown contradictory results regarding the relationship between somatometric parameters and varicoceles. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the possible effects of age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) on the presence and severity of varicoceles. Methods Databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published up to March 2020. Two researchers independently identified eligible articles and extracted data. Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed using StataSE 12.0 software (StataCorp LP, USA). Random-effects models were used to obtain the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was assessed using Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. Results The search strategy produced 272 articles, of which 18 articles were eligible according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A total of 56,325 patients with varicocele and 1,334,694 patients without varicocele were included in the meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of somatometric parameters on the presence and severity of varicocele. The overall results demonstrated that the presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height (WMD = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.74, P < 0.001) and inversely correlated with BMI (WMD = − 1.35, 95% CI = -1.67 to − 1.03, P < 0.001) but not with age (WMD = -0.93, 95% CI = -2.19 to 0.33, P = 0.149) or weight (WMD = 0.24, 95% CI = -2.24 to 2.72, P = 0.850). The severity of varicocele was inversely correlated with increased BMI but not with age. Conclusion The presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height and inversely correlated with BMI.

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