ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene -308G/A polymorphism and the risk of endometriosis (EM). MethodsDatabases including PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang Data were searched to collect case-control studies about the association between TNF-α gene -308G/A polymorphism and the risk of EM from inception to October 2014. 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 seven case-control studies were included, which involved 687 patients and 877 controls. The results of meta-analysis showed that, AA genotype carriers presented 2.06-fold (OR=2.06, 95%CI 1.10 to 3.83, P=0.02) and 1.94-fold (OR=1.94, 95%CI 1.18 to 3.18, P<0.01) higher risk of EM than GG genotype carriers and AG+GG genotype carriers, respectively; but sensitivity analysis showed that the robustness of these results was unstable. No statistical significance was found in the allele model, co-dominant model, and dominant model (A vs. G: OR=1.37, 95%CI 0.87 to 2.17, P=0.18; AG vs. GG: OR=1.09, 95%CI 0.77 to 1.53, P=0.63; AA+AG vs. GG: OR=1.29, 95%CI 0.95 to 1.77, P=0.11). While excluding studies that controls were not in HWE, no significant association was observed in these five genetic models; and no significant association was found in the results of subgroup analysis by ethnicity. ConclusionThe AA genotype of TNF-α gene -308G/A polymorphism might contribute to the risk of EM, but the association between other genotypes and EM susceptibility is unclear. In addition, due to the limited quantity and quality of included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
Stata is statistical software that combines programming and un-programming, which is easy to operate, of high efficiency and good expansibility. In performing meta-analysis, Stata software also presents powerful function. The mvmeta package of Stata software is based on a multiple regression model to conduct network meta-analysis, and it also processes "multiple outcomes-multivariate" data. Currently, the disadvantages of mvmeta package include relatively cumbersome process, poor interest-risk sorting, and lack of drawing function in the process of conducting network meta-analysis. In this article, we introduce how to implement network meta-analysis using this package based on cases.
The key for performing meta-analysis using WinBUGS software is to construct a model of Bayesian statistics. The hand-written code model and Doodle model are two major methods for constructing it. The approach of hand-written code is flexible and convenient, but the language programming is fallibility. The Doodle is complicated, but it is benefit to understand the structure of hand-written code model and prevent error. This article briefly describes how to construct the Doodle model for binary and continuous data of head to head meta-analysis, indirect comparison and network meta-analysis, and ordinal variables meta-analysis.
ITC (Indirect Treatment Comparison) software and indirect procedure of Stata software are especially used for indirect comparison nowadays, both of which possess the characteristics of friendly concise interface and support for menu operation. ITC software needs the application of other software to yield effect estimation and its confidence interval of direct comparison firstly; while Stata-indirect procedure can complete direct comparison internally and also operate using commands, which simplifies complicated process of indirect comparison. However, both of them only perform "single-pathway" of data transferring and pooling, which is a common deficiency. From the results, their results are of high-degree similarity.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene promoter-308 G/A polymorphism and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Chinese population by meta-analysis. MethodsThe casecontrol studies about the correlation between TNF-α gene polymorphism and AS in Chinese population were retrieved from PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, CBM, WanFang Data and VIP database by two researchers. The retrieval time was from their establishment to December, 2015. After the paper screening, data extraction, and assessment of bias risk, the metaanalysis was conducted by Stata 12.0 software. ResultsA total of 11 case-control studies involving 1 154 AS patients and 1 458 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, for Chinese population, there was no significant association between TNF-α-308 G/A polymorphism and AS susceptibility (A vs. G: OR=0.96, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.47, P=0.86; AA vs. AG: OR=0.97, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.84, P=0.93; AA vs. GG: OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.32 to 2.61, P=0.87; AA+AG vs. GG; OR=1.04, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.80, P=0.89; AA vs. AG+GG: OR=1.03, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.82, P=0.92). ConclusionTo date, it has not found the relationship between TNF-α gene promoter-308 G/A polymorphism and AS in Chinese population. For the quantity and quality limitation of the included studies, the conclusion has to be verified by more large-scale highquality studies.
NetMetaXL is a macro command to conduct network meta-analysis in the frame of Microsoft Excel on basis of Bayesian theory. This macro command, which was officially launched in 2014, integrates data extraction and entry, analysis results output and graph plotting as a whole. Currently, this version contains enough optional models, and all operations are through menu and easy to conduct; however, it is appropriate only for the network meta-analysis based on dichotomous variables, which still has fairly a lot to be enhanced and improved. This article gives a brief introduction based on examples to implement network meta-analysis using NetMetaXL.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the correlation between Survivin expression and prostate cancer, as well as its clinicopathologic features in Chinese population. MethodsSuch databases as PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were electronically searched from inception to November, 2015 to collect case-control studies about the correlation between Survivin expression and prostate cancer, as well as its clinically pathologic characteristics in Chinese population. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. ResultsA total of 32 case-control studies were included, involving 1613 prostate cancer cases, 708 benign prostatic hyperplasia cases, and 93 controls. The results of meta-analysis showed that the prostate cancer group had a higher Survivin expression level when compared with the benign prostatic hyperplasia group (OR=32.95, 95% CI 19.88 to 54.63, P<0.00001) or the control group (OR=75.78, 95% CI 26.97 to 212.98, P<0.00001). Moreover, the expression level of Survivin was higher in the low and medium differentiation group than in the high differentiation group (OR=4.45, 95% CI 3.13 to 6.32, P<0.00001), higher in the stage of C+D than in the stage of A+B (OR 5.42, 95% CI 2.91 to10.10, P<0.00001), and higher in the prostate cancer with lymph node metastasis than in the prostate cancer without lymph node metastasis (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.91 to 10.10, P<0.00001). ConclusionCurrent evidence indicates that the expression level of Survivin is significantly correlated with prostate cancer and its clinicopathologic features in Chinese population. Due to the limited quantity and quality of included studies, above conclusions need to be verified by conducting more high quality studies.
Trial sequential analysis (TSA) could be performed in both TSA software and Stata software. The implementation process of TSA in Stata needs the command of "metacumbounds" of Stata combines with the packages of "foreign" and "ldbounds" of R software. This paper briefly introduces how to implement TSA using Stata software.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the association between myopia and open-angle glaucoma (OAG). MethodsForeign and domestic articles published from January 2000 to May 2013 were searched in PubMed, EMbase, WanFang Data, VIP and CNKI for observational studies on the association between myopia and OAG. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the studies were screened, the data were extracted, and the method quality of included studies was assessed. Then meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. ResultsEleven cross-sectional studies including 45 996 participants were finally included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, myopia increased the risk of OAG. Besides, the results of subgroup analysis by the severity of myopia showed that, low-degree myopia (more than-3.00 D) increased 1.52 times the risk (OR=1.52, 95%CI 1.23 to 1.88) while middle/high-degree myopia (no more than-3.00 D) increased 2.41 times (OR=2.41, 95%CI 1.91 to 3.03). ConclusionIndividuals with myopia have increased risk of OAG.