The American journal of the medical sciences
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The association between Alu methylation and risk of cancer remains uncertain. This meta-analysis was conducted to elucidate this issue. ⋯ Alu hypomethylation was associated with increased risk of cancer, which could be a potential biomarker for cancer.
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Meta Analysis
Reduced Stroke After Transcatheter Patent Foramen Ovale Closure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Recent randomized control trials (RCTs) have suggested benefit with transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure plus antiplatelet therapy over medical treatment alone for secondary stroke prevention. ⋯ TPFO closure plus antiplatelet therapy is superior to medical therapy in patients with a PFO and cryptogenic stroke. PFO closure is associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation and a trend toward reduced neuropsychiatric events.
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Meta Analysis
Different β-blockers and initiation time in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.
The effects of differences among β-blockers and initiation times in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery (NCS) remain unknown. On June 1, 2012, the authors searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify all trials of perioperative β-blockers in patients undergoing NCS published between January 1960 and June 2012. The authors included only randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trials of perioperatively administered β-blockers (ie, during the pre-, intra- and/or postoperative period) in patients with at least 1 risk factor for coronary artery disease undergoing NCS. ⋯ Indirect comparisons demonstrated that perioperative atenolol therapy was associated with lower mortality and incidence of MI. β-blocker therapy initiated >1 week before surgery was associated with improved postoperative mortality. Perioperative β-blocker treatment of patients undergoing NCS increases the incidence of stroke but decreases the incidence of MI, leading to a nonsignificant decrease in mortality. The authors also observed that atenolol treatment or β-blocker therapy initiated >1 week before NCS was associated with improved outcomes.
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Review Meta Analysis
The role of TNF-α 308G>A polymorphism in the risk for ischemic stroke.
Stroke is a common health problem; however, its pathogenesis is not clear. Several studies have examined the association of -308G>A promoter polymorphism in the tumor necrosis factor-α gene (TNF-α) with ischemic stroke susceptibility. However, the results of these studies are inconsistent and the sample sizes of most of the studies were small. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to provide a more robust estimate of the effect of the TNF-α 308G>A polymorphism on the risk for ischemic stroke. ⋯ This study suggests that TNF-α 308G>A polymorphism is associated with the risk for juvenile ischemic stroke, whereas it is a protective factor for ischemic stroke in Asians and the adult population. However, in the overall analysis and in Caucasians, a significant association was not found.