Incidence of Respiratory Symptoms for Residents Living Near a Petrochemical Industrial Complex: A Meta-Analysis

The air pollution emitted by petrochemical industrial complexes (PICs) may affect the respiratory health of surrounding residents. Previous meta-analyses have indicated a higher risk of lung cancer mortality and incidence among residents near a PIC. Therefore, in this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the degree to which PIC exposure increases the risk of the development of nonmalignant respiratory symptoms among residents. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematically identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research. Finally, we identified 16 study groups reporting 5 types of respiratory symptoms: asthma, bronchitis, cough, rhinitis, and wheezing. We estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) using random-effect models and investigated the robustness of pooled estimates in subgroup analyses by location, observation period, and age group. We determined that residential exposure to a PIC was significantly associated with a higher incidence of cough (OR = 1.35), wheezing (OR = 1.28), bronchitis (OR = 1.26), rhinitis (OR = 1.17), and asthma (OR = 1.15), although the latter two associations did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analyses suggested that the association remained robust across different groups for cough and bronchitis. We identified high heterogeneity for asthma, rhinitis, and wheezing, which could be due to higher ORs in South America. Our meta-analysis indicates that residential exposure to a PIC is associated with an increased risk of nonmalignant respiratory symptoms.

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Association between metabolic syndrome and venous thromboembolism after total joint arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research ◽

10.1186/s13018-020-02097-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yipei Yang ◽

Ziyue Li ◽

Haifeng Liang ◽

Jing Tian

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Joint Arthroplasty ◽

Effect Model ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Subgroup Analyses

Abstract Objective Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been associated with hypercoagulative status. However, previous studies evaluating the association between MetS and incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) showed inconsistent results. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the influence of MetS on the risk of VTE following TJA. Methods Cohort studies were identified by the search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane’s Library databases. A random-effect model was used if considerable heterogeneity was detected; otherwise, a fixed-effect model was used. Subgroup analyses according to the category of VTE, definition of MetS, category of procedure, and follow-up durations were performed. Results Seven cohort studies with 1,341,457 patients that underwent TJA were included, with 118,060 MetS patients (8.8%) at baseline. With a follow-up duration up to 3 months after surgery, 9788 patients had VTE. Pooled results with a random-effect model showed that MetS was not associated with increased overall VTE after TJA (adjusted risk ratio [RR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89 ~ 1.72, p = 0.20; I2 = 69%). The results were not significantly affected by the diagnostic criteria of MetS, category of the procedure, and follow-up durations. Subgroup analyses showed that MetS was not associated with an increased the risk of pulmonary embolism ([PE], RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.37 ~ 3.02, p = 0.91), but an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after TJA (RR 3.38, 95% CI 1.83 ~ 6.24, p < 0.001). Conclusions Current evidence from observational studies suggests MetS might be associated with an increased risk of DVT but not PE after TJA.

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Association of indoor microbial aerosols with respiratory symptoms among under-five children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Health ◽

10.1186/s12940-021-00759-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Adekunle Gregory Fakunle ◽

Nkosana Jafta ◽

Rajen N. Naidoo ◽

Lidwien A. M. Smit

Keyword(s):

Relative Risk ◽

Respiratory Symptoms ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Potential Effect ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Microbial Exposure

Abstract Background Despite the recognition of the importance of indoor microbial exposures on children’s health, the role of different microbial agents in development and aggravation of respiratory symptoms and diseases is only poorly understood. This study aimed to assess whether exposure to microbial aerosols within the indoor environment are associated with respiratory symptoms among children under-5 years of age. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, GreenFILE, ScienceDirect, EMBASE and Cochrane library through February 2020. Studies that investigated the exposure–response relationship between components of the indoor microbial communities and respiratory symptoms among under-five children were eligible for inclusion. A random-effect meta-analysis was applied to estimate pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for study specific high versus low microbial exposures. The potential effect of individual studies on the overall estimate was evaluated using leave-one-out analysis, while heterogeneity was evaluated by I2 statistics using RevMan 5.3. Results Fifteen studies were eligible for inclusion in a meta-analysis. The pooled risk estimate suggested that increased microbial exposure was associated with an increased risk of respiratory symptoms [pooled relative risk (RR): 1.24 (1.09, 1.41), P = 0.001]. The association was strongest with exposure to a combination of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Alternaria species [pooled RR: 1.73 (1.30, 2.31), P = 0.0002]. Stratified analysis revealed an increased risk of wheeze [pooled RR: 1.20 (1.05, 1.37), P = 0.007 and allergic rhinitis [RR: 1.18 (0.94, 1.98), P = 0.16] from any microbial exposure. Conclusions Microbial exposures are, in general, associated with risk of respiratory symptoms. Future studies are needed to study the indoor microbiome more comprehensively, and to investigate the mechanism of these associations.

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Association between Smoking and Risk of Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases ◽

10.15403/jgld-181 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

pp. 197-203

Author(s):

Karn Wijarnpreecha ◽

Monia Werlang ◽

Panadeekarn Panjawatanan ◽

Paul T Kroner ◽

Omar Y Mousa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Random Effect ◽

Primary Biliary Cholangitis ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Inverse Variance ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Former Smokers

Background & Aims: Studies have suggested that smokers may have a higher risk of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) although the results have been inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to better characterize the risk of PBC among smokers by identifying all relevant studies and summarizing their results together. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Embase and Pubmed/MEDLINE databases from inception to September 2018 to identify all studies which compared the risk of PBC among current, ever and former smokers to non-smokers. Effect estimates from each study were extracted and combined together using the random-effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird. Results: Nine case-control studies with 21,577 participants met the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of PBC among ever smokers was significantly higher than non-smokers with the pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.31 (95% CI, 1.03-1.67; I 2 89%). Subgroup analysis found that the risk was higher in both former smokers (pooled OR 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.84; I 2 75%) and current smokers (pooled OR 1.18; 95% CI, 0.94-1.50; I 2 79%), although the latter did not reach statistical significance. Immunomodulatory and cytotoxic effect of cigarettes were the possible mechanisms behind this increased risk. Conclusions: A significantly increased risk of PBC among individuals who ever smoked was observed in this study, adding to the already long list of harmful health consequences of smoking.

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Papillary thyroid carcinoma with tall cell features is as aggressive as tall cell variant: a meta-analysis

Endocrine Connections ◽

10.1530/ec-18-0333 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. R286-R293 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Huy Gia Vuong ◽

Nguyen Phuoc Long ◽

Nguyen Hoang Anh ◽

Tran Diem Nghi ◽

Mai Van Hieu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Papillary Thyroid ◽

Tall Cell Variant ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Tall Cell ◽

Cell Variant ◽

Meta Analyses

There are still ongoing debates as to which cut-off percentage of tall cell (TC) should be used to define tall cell variant (TCV) papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological significance of PTC with tall cell features (PTC-TCF, PTC with 10–50% of TCs) in comparison with classical PTC and TCVPTC (PTC with more than 50% of TCs) to clarify the controversial issue. Four electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Virtual Health Library were accessed to search for relevant articles. We extracted data from published studies and pooled into odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effect modeling. Nine studies comprising 403 TCVPTCs, 325 PTC-TCFs and 3552 classical PTCs were included for meta-analyses. Overall, the clinicopathological profiles of PTC-TCF including multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and patient mortality were not statistically different from those of TCVPTC. Additionally, PTC-TCF and TCVPTC were both associated with an increased risk for aggressive clinical courses as compared to classical PTC. The prevalence of BRAF mutation in PTC-TCF and TCVPTC was comparable and both were significantly higher than that in classical PTC. The present meta-analysis demonstrated that even a PTC comprising only 10% of TCs might be associated with a poor clinical outcome. Therefore, the proportions of PTC in PTC should be carefully estimated and reported even when the TC component is as little as 10%.

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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Short-Term Ambient Ozone Exposure and COPD Hospitalizations

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17062130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 2130

Author(s):

Hui Gao ◽

Kan Wang ◽

William W. Au ◽

Wensui Zhao ◽

Zhao-lin Xia

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Ozone Exposure ◽

Short Term ◽

Ambient Ozone ◽

Ambient Level ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Subgroup Analyses

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally and ozone exposure is a main cause of its disease burden. However, studies on COPD hospitalizations from short-term ambient level ozone exposure have not generated consensus results. To address the knowledge gap, comprehensive and systematic searches in several databases were conducted using specific keywords for publications up to February 14, 2020. Random-effect models were used to derive overall excess risk estimates between short-term ambient-level ozone exposure and COPD hospitalizations. The influence analyses were used to test the robustness of the results. Both meta-regression and subgroup analyses were used to explore the sources of heterogeneity and potential modifying factors. Based on the results from 26 eligible studies, the random-effect model analyses show that a 10 µg/m3 increase in maximum 8-h ozone concentration was associated with 0.84% (95% CI: 0.09%, 1.59%) higher COPD hospitalizations. The estimates were higher for warm season and multiple-day lag but lower for old populations. Results from subgroup analyses also indicate a multiple-day lag trend and bigger significant health effects during longer day intervals. Although characteristics of individual studies added modest heterogeneity to the overall estimates, the results remained robust during further analyses and exhibited no evidence of publication bias. Our systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that short-term ambient level ozone exposure was associated with increased risk of COPD hospitalizations. The significant association with multiple-day lag trend indicates that a multiple-day exposure metric should be considered for establishing ambient ozone quality and exposure standards for improvement of population health. Future investigations and meta-analysis studies should include clinical studies as well as more careful lag selection protocol.

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Coordinate Based Random Effect Size meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

10.1101/089565 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

CR Tench ◽

Radu Tanasescu ◽

WJ Cottam ◽

CS Constantinescu ◽

DP Auer

Keyword(s):

Effect Size ◽

Error Control ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Random Effect ◽

Simulated Data ◽

Real Data ◽

Type 1 Error ◽

Meta Analyses

1AbstractLow power in neuroimaging studies can make them difficult to interpret, and Coordinate based meta‐ analysis (CBMA) may go some way to mitigating this issue. CBMA has been used in many analyses to detect where published functional MRI or voxel-based morphometry studies testing similar hypotheses report significant summary results (coordinates) consistently. Only the reported coordinates and possibly t statistics are analysed, and statistical significance of clusters is determined by coordinate density.Here a method of performing coordinate based random effect size meta-analysis and meta-regression is introduced. The algorithm (ClusterZ) analyses both coordinates and reported t statistic or Z score, standardised by the number of subjects. Statistical significance is determined not by coordinate density, but by a random effects meta-analyses of reported effects performed cluster-wise using standard statistical methods and taking account of censoring inherent in the published summary results. Type 1 error control is achieved using the false cluster discovery rate (FCDR), which is based on the false discovery rate. This controls both the family wise error rate under the null hypothesis that coordinates are randomly drawn from a standard stereotaxic space, and the proportion of significant clusters that are expected under the null. Such control is vital to avoid propagating and even amplifying the very issues motivating the meta-analysis in the first place. ClusterZ is demonstrated on both numerically simulated data and on real data from reports of grey matter loss in multiple sclerosis (MS) and syndromes suggestive of MS, and of painful stimulus in healthy controls. The software implementation is available to download and use freely.

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Psoriasis and Risk of Uveitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2020/9308341 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Chayada Chaiyabutr ◽

Patompong Ungprasert ◽

Narumol Silpa-archa ◽

Chanisada Wongpraparut ◽

Leena Chularojanamontri

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Psoriatic Arthritis ◽

Risk Ratio ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Study Groups ◽

Seronegative Spondyloarthropathy ◽

Analysis Technique ◽

Inverse Variance ◽

Increased Risk

Background. Uveitis is a known ophthalmologic manifestation of seronegative spondyloarthropathy, including psoriatic arthritis. However, the data is less clear among patients with psoriasis due to the limited number of published studies. Aims. To investigate whether the risk of incident and prevalent uveitis is elevated among patients with psoriasis using systematic review and meta-analysis technique. Methods. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from their inception to May 2019. Eligible studies must have included a psoriasis group and a nonpsoriasis group. Eligible studies must also have investigated for prevalent or incident uveitis, and the magnitude of difference between the study groups must have been reported. Pooled risk ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using random-effect generic inverse variance methods. Results. Of 7,107 potentially eligible articles from the EMBASE and MEDLINE databases, 7 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Two of those studies compared the incidence, and 5 studies compared the prevalence of uveitis between the psoriasis and nonpsoriasis groups. For incident uveitis, a total of 5,865,801 patients (222,083 with psoriasis and 5,643,718 without psoriasis) were analyzed. For prevalent uveitis, a total of 1,343,436 patients (37,891 with psoriasis and 1,305,545 without psoriasis) were studied. The risk of incident uveitis was significantly higher among patients with psoriasis with a pooled risk ratio of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.05-1.45, I2=55%). The risk of prevalent uveitis was also significantly higher among patients with psoriasis with a pooled risk ratio of 1.97 (95% CI: 1.68-2.31, I2=0%). Conclusions. The results of this study revealed significantly increased risk of both prevalent and incident uveitis among patients with psoriasis.

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The incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in gout: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Rheumatology International ◽

10.1007/s00296-021-04876-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peter Cox ◽

Sonal Gupta ◽

Sizheng Steven Zhao ◽

David M. Hughes

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Small Sample ◽

Future Research ◽

Increased Risk

AbstractThe aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to describe prevalence of cardiovascular disease in gout, compare these results with non-gout controls and consider whether there were differences according to geography. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies reporting prevalence of any cardiovascular disease in a gout population. Studies with non-representative sampling, where a cohort had been used in another study, small sample size (< 100) and where gout could not be distinguished from other rheumatic conditions were excluded, as were reviews, editorials and comments. Where possible meta-analysis was performed using random-effect models. Twenty-six studies comprising 949,773 gout patients were included in the review. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated for five cardiovascular diseases: myocardial infarction (2.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI)s 1.6, 5.0), heart failure (8.7%; 95% CI 2.9, 23.8), venous thromboembolism (2.1%; 95% CI 1.2, 3.4), cerebrovascular accident (4.3%; 95% CI 1.8, 9.7) and hypertension (63.9%; 95% CI 24.5, 90.6). Sixteen studies reported comparisons with non-gout controls, illustrating an increased risk in the gout group across all cardiovascular diseases. There were no identifiable reliable patterns when analysing the results by country. Cardiovascular diseases are more prevalent in patients with gout and should prompt vigilance from clinicians to the need to assess and stratify cardiovascular risk. Future research is needed to investigate the link between gout, hyperuricaemia and increased cardiovascular risk and also to establish a more thorough picture of prevalence for less common cardiovascular diseases.

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Sarcopenia Is Associated with Mortality in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000517099 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Jane Xu ◽

Ching S. Wan ◽

Kiriakos Ktoris ◽

Esmee M. Reijnierse ◽

Andrea B. Maier

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Working Group ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Nursing Home Residents ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

European Working ◽

Subgroup Analyses ◽

Meta Analyses

Background: Sarcopenia can predispose individuals to falls, fractures, hospitalization, and mortality. The prevalence of sarcopenia depends on the population studied and the definition used for the diagnosis. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between sarcopenia and mortality and if it is dependent on the population and sarcopenia definition. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane from 1 January 2010 to 6 April 2020 for articles relating to sarcopenia and mortality. Articles were included if they met the following criteria – cohorts with a mean or median age ≥18 years and either of the following sarcopenia definitions: Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS and AWGS2019), European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP and EWGSOP2), Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), International Working Group for Sarcopenia (IWGS), or Sarcopenia Definition and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC). Hazard ratios (HR) and odds ratios (OR) were pooled separately in meta-analyses using a random-effects model, stratified by population (community-dwelling adults, outpatients, inpatients, and nursing home residents). Subgroup analyses were performed for sarcopenia definition and follow-up period. Results: Out of 3,025 articles, 57 articles were included in the systematic review and 56 in the meta-analysis (42,108 participants, mean age of 49.4 ± 11.7 to 86.6 ± 1.0 years, 40.3% females). Overall, sarcopenia was associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality (HR: 2.00 [95% CI: 1.71, 2.34]; OR: 2.35 [95% CI: 1.64, 3.37]), which was independent of population, sarcopenia definition, and follow-up period in subgroup analyses. Conclusions: Sarcopenia is associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality, independent of population and sarcopenia definition, which highlights the need for screening and early diagnosis in all populations.

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PARP1 rs1136410 Val762Ala contributes to an increased risk of overall cancer in the East Asian population: a meta-analysis

Journal of International Medical Research ◽

10.1177/0300060521992956 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 030006052199295

Author(s):

Yijuan Xin ◽

Liu Yang ◽

Mingquan Su ◽

Xiaoli Cheng ◽

Lin Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Risk ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Chinese Population ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Asian Population ◽

Cancer Type ◽

East Asians ◽

Asian Populations ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Meta Analyses

Objectives To investigate the association between poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 ( PARP1) rs1136410 Val762Ala and cancer risk in Asian populations, as published findings remain controversial. Methods The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched, and references of identified studies and reviews were screened, to find relevant studies. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the association between PARP1 rs1136410 Val762Ala and cancer risk, reported as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results A total of 24 studies with 8 926 cases and 15 295 controls were included. Overall, a significant association was found between PARP1 rs1136410 Val762Ala and cancer risk in East Asians (homozygous: OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.06, 1.35; heterozygous: OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04, 1.17; recessive: OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02, 1.25; dominant: OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06, 1.19; and allele comparison: OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03, 1.15). Stratification analyses by race and cancer type revealed similar results for gastric cancer among the Chinese population. Conclusion The findings suggest that PARP1 rs1136410 Val762Ala may be significantly associated with an increased cancer risk in Asians, particularly the Chinese population.

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