ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between -765G/C polymorphism of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene and the risk of ischemic stroke (IS). MethodsPubMed, CBM, The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2015), CNKI, CBM, VIP and WanFang Data were searched from inception to March 2015 to collect case-control or nested case-control studies about -765G/C polymorphism of COX-2 gene and the risk of IS. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1 software and Stata 12.0 software. ResultsA total of 10 studies involving 2611 cases and 18589 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, there was no correlation between -765G/C polymorphism and the risk of IS (GC+CC vs. GG: OR=1.05, 95%CI 0.88 to 1.25, P=0.620; CC vs. GG+GC: OR=1.04, 95%CI 0.83 to 1.30, P=0.730; GC vs. GG: OR=1.04, 95%CI 0.87 to 1.25, P=0.630; CC vs. GG: OR=1.09, 95%CI 0.86 to 1.36, P=0.480; C vs. G: OR=1.03, 95%CI 0.89 to 1.20, P=0.700). Subgroup analysis results showed that, the COX-2 gene -765G/C polymorphism was a risk factor for IS in African-Americans (GC+CC vs. GG: OR=1.42, 95%CI 1.12 to 1.78, P=0.003; GC vs. GG: OR=1.39, 95%CI 1.09 to 1.78, P=0.008; CC vs. GG: OR=1.51, 95%CI 1.04 to 2.18, P=0.030; C vs. G: OR=1.27, 95%CI 1.08 to 1.51, P=0.004), but not in Asians and Caucasians. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that -765G/C polymorphism of COX-2 gene may be a genetic risk factor for IS in African-Americans, but not in Asians and Caucasians. Due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo explore the risk factors of myasthenic crisis after thymectomy (MCAT) for patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 8, 2015), Web of Knowledge, CBM, CNKI and WanFang Data from inception to August 31, 2015, to collect case-control studies and retrospective cohort studies about the MCAT for patients with MG. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then meta-analysis was performed using Stata 13.0 software. ResultsA total of 17 studies involving 394 patients with myasthenic crisis and 1642 controls were included. Of the 17 studies, 11 were retrospective cohort studies and 6 were case-control studies. The results of meta-analysis showed that:a) univariate analysis indicated that history of myasthenic crisis (OR=8.05, 95%CI 5.80 to 11.15, P<0.01), bulbar symptoms (OR=5.10, 95%CI 3.01 to 8.67, P<0.01), preoperative severity of gravis (Osserman-stage) (OR=10.55, 95%CI 7.28 to 15.30, P<0.01), postoperative pulmonary infection (OR=10.77, 95%CI 3.88 to 29.95, P<0.01), thymoma (OR=2.37, 95%CI 1.50 to 3.75, P<0.01), dose of pyridostigmine (MD=0.45, 95%CI 0.29 to 0.62, P<0.01), AChRAb level >100 nmol/L (OR=12.14, 95%CI 4.80 to 30.73, P<0.01) and operation time (MD=0.57, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.88, P<0.01) were the risk factors of MCAT; b) multivariate analysis showed that, history of myasthenic crisis (OR=5.06, 95%CI 2.30 to 11.14, P<0.01), bulbar symptoms (OR=5.21, 95%CI 2.62 to 10.35, P<0.01), preoperative severity of gravis (Osserman-stage) (OR=5.82, 95%CI 2.60 to 13.04, P<0.01) and AChRAb level >100 nmol/L (OR=8.38, 95%CI 3.31 to 23.08, P<0.01) were the independent risk factors of MCAT. ConclusionThe independent risk factors of MCAT for patients with MG are history of myasthenic crisis, bulbar symptoms, preoperative severity of gravis (Osserman-stage) and AChRAb level >100 nmol/L.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the association between the level of blocking antibody and recurrent spontaneous abortions.MethodsPubMed, CNKI, CBM, WanFang Data and VIP databases were searched online to collect case-control studies on the association between the level of blocking antibody and recurrent spontaneous abortions from inception to May, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, then meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 12 case-control studies involving 3 413 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: there was a strong association between the blocking antibody negative and recurrent spontaneous abortions with statistical significance (OR=6.10, 95%CI 2.40 to 15.51, P=0.000 1).ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that the blocking antibody negative is a risk factor for recurrent spontaneous abortions. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify above conclusions.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) -308G/A polymorphism and the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MethodsAll eligible case-control studies published up to Jan 25th 2015 were identified by searching PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM and VIP databases. Two reviewers independently screened the studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed methodological quality of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 and Stata 12.0 softwares. ResultsA total of 20 studies involving 2 860 IBD cases and 5 033 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed:Compared with the wild genotype GG, genotype GA, AA and genotype GA+AA were associated with susceptibility of ulcerative colitis (UC) (GA vs. GG:OR=1.45, 95%CI 1.02 to 2.07, P=0.04; AA vs. GG:OR=2.01, 95%CI 1.32 to 3.05, P=0.001; GA+AA vs. GG:OR=1.51, 95%CI 1.07 to 2.13, P=0.02); Compared with genotype GA+AA, genotype AA increased the risk of UC (AA vs. GA+GG:OR=1.92, 95%CI 1.26 to 2.91, P=0.002); allele A did not increase the risk of UC; Compared with genotype GG, genotype AA increased the risk of Crohn disease (CD) (AA vs. GG:OR=1.49, 95%CI 1.07 to 2.08, P=0.02); Compared with genotype GA+GG, while genotype AA increased the risk of CD (AA vs. GA+GG:OR=1.50, 95%CI 1.08 to 2.09, P=0.02); genotype GA, GA+AA and allele A did not increase the risk of CD. In stratification analyses by ethnicity, we found that the TNF-α-308G/A was significat associated with IBD in Europeans. ConclusionCurrent evidence indicates that TNF-α-308G/A polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility of IBD, genotype GA, AA and GA+AA increase the risk of suffering from UC while genotype AA increase the risk of suffering from CD. Due to the limited quantity of the included studies, more researches are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the correlation between the T538C polymorphism in bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) and the risk of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). MethodsWe electronically searched databases including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang Data from inception to November 2014, to collect case-control studies of the correlation between the T538C polymorphism in BMP-4 and the risk of NSCL/P. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 6 case-control studies involving 926 cases and 1 110 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that:there was no significant association between the T538C polymorphism in BMP-4 gene and the risk of NSCL/P (C vs. T:OR=1.14, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.66; CC vs. TT:OR=0.75, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.11; CC vs. TT:OR=1.53, 95% CI 0.69 to 3.37; CC vs. CT+TT:OR=1.80, 95% CI 0.96 to 3.38; CC+CT vs. TT:OR=0.90, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.43). Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity showed that, the T538C polymorphism in BMP-4 gene was associated with increased risk of NSCL/P in Asian population (C vs. T:OR=1.54, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.87; CC vs. TT:OR=2.91, 95% CI 1.88 to 4.52; CC vs. CT+TT:OR=2.99, 95% CI 1.99 to 4.49), but decreased risk of NSCL/P in Latin populations (C vs. T:OR=0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.96; CT vs. TT:OR=0.52, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.68; CC+CT vs. TT:OR=0.52, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.78). ConclusionAvailable evidence suggests that the T538C polymorphism in BMP-4 gene may be associated with increased risk of NSCL/P in Asians and decreased risk of NSCL/P in Latinas. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the proportion of Tregs in peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its relationship with Treg's diffrent phenotypes.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases were electronically searched to collect case-control studies on peripheral Tregs of AS patients from inception to November 31st, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 12.0 software.ResultsA total of 61 case-control studies involving 2 466 AS patients and 1 879 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the proportion of peripheral Tregs of patients with AS was significantly lower than that of the normal control (SMD=−0.905, 95%CI −1.294 to −0.517, P<0.000 1), and the proportion of Tregs in the disease-active group was significantly lower than that in disease-inactive group (SMD=−0.928, 95%CI −1.431 to −0.425, P<0.000 1). The proportion of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Tregs and CD4+CD25+CD127low/−Tregs were lower in AS patients than that in control subjects (SMD=−2.547, 95%CI −3.521 to −1.573, P<0.000 1; SMD=−0.709, 95% CI −1.056 to −0.362, P<0.000 1). The proportion of Tregs defined by CD4+CD25low/−FOXP3+ was higher in AS patients (SMD=0.683, 95%CI 0.161 to 1.206, P=0.01). There was no significant difference betweew other phenotypes of Tregs groups.roups.ConclusionsThe reduction of Tregs may be one of the important reasons for the occurrence and development of AS, which may provide a new approach for the diagnosis and treatment of AS.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the relationship between cadmium (Cd) and childhood autism.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data and CBM were electronically searched to collect case-control studies on the relationship between Cd and childhood autism from inception to July 2019. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 8 case-control studies were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that whether the specimen was from whole blood, urine or hair, there were no correlations between Cd and childhood autism (MDblood=0.17, 95% CI −0.06 to 0.39, P=0.15; MDurine=−0.43, 95%CI −1.44 to 0.58, P=0.4; MDhair=−0.08, 95%CI −0.52 to 0.36, P=0.72).ConclusionsCurrent evidence shows that Cd concentration is not correlated with autism in children. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify above conclusions.
Objective To systematically review the association between prenatal exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the risk of congenital anomalies. Methods PubMed, EMbase, WanFang Data, VIP and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect case-control studies on the relationship between prenatal exposure to DDT or PCBs and congenital anomalies from inception to February 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, then, meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 13.0 software. Results A total of 14 studies involving 2 238 infants with defect and 2 335 infants without defect were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the prenatal exposure to high level of DDT increased the incidence of cryptorchidism (OR=1.12, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.15, P<0.001). However, DDT exposure had no correlation to hypospadias and neural tube defects. The associations between prenatal exposure to PCBs and cryptorchidism, hypospadias, neural tube defects were not discovered. Conclusion Prenatal exposure to high levels of DDT may be a risk factor for cryptorchidism. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the correlation between DNMT3a mutation and peripheral blood cell count on the time of diagnosis for adult primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MethodsLiterature search in the databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data was performed to collect the case-control studies about the correlation between the DNMT3a mutations and adult AML up to December 2012. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies, and then RevMan 5.0 software was conducting for metaanalysis. ResultsA total of 10 studies involving 2 704 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that:the levels of peripheral blood WBC, HGB and PLT of the DNMT3a-mutated group were significantly higher than those of the DNMT3a-wildtype group for the initial visit of adult primary AML patients (all P values < 0.05). ConclusionThe peripheral blood cell counts of the DNMT3a-mutated group are higher than those of the DNMT3a-wildtype group for the initial visit of adult primary AML patients, indicating DNMT3a mutation might contribute to promote cell proliferation, and this helps us better understand the role of DNMT3a mutation in the development of AML.