The value of serum uric acid as a prognostic biomarker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Evidence from a meta-analysis

• Published in: Clinical neurology and neurosurgery Vol. 203; p. 106566
• Main Authors: Haji, Shotaro, Sako, Wataru, Murakami, Nagahisa, Osaki, Yusuke, Furukawa, Takahiro, Izumi, Yuishin, Kaji, Ryuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2021; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - blood; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - diagnosis; Bias; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Body mass index; Computer applications; Creatinine; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Hazard ratio; Humans; Medical prognosis; Meta-analysis; Neurology; Ostomy; Oxidative stress; Prognosis; Regression analysis; Sensitivity analysis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Statistics; Survival; Survival analysis; Systematic review; Tracheostomy; Tracheotomy; Uric acid; Uric Acid - blood; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Uric acid; Hazard ratio; Survival; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 0303-8467; 1872-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2021.106566

•The prognostic value of uric acid (UA) for ALS was evaluated using meta-analysis.•A total of four studies included 1882 patients with ALS in this meta-analysis.•Meta-analysis revealed that UA was a prognostic factor with homogeneous studies. To determine the value of uric acid (UA) as a prognostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using a meta-analysis of hazard ratio-based studies. We included data from Tokushima University (47 patients with ALS) and three previous studies (1835 patients with ALS) with a hazard ratio (HR) identified by a systematic computational search. A total of four studies and 1882 patients were enrolled in the pooled analysis. We pooled HRs of death or tracheostomy, which were estimated by a Cox proportional hazard model, using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by Q statistic, and a p value < 0.1 was considered significant heterogeneity. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the effect of each single study and the robustness of the summary effect. We evaluated publication bias by visual assessment of the funnel plot and Egger’s test, and adjusted the bias using a trim-and-fill method. This meta-analysis revealed that UA could be a prognostic factor for ALS (all, HR = 0.87, p < 0.001; men, HR = 0.83, p < 0.001; women, HR = 0.76, p < 0.001). The included studies were homogeneous (all, p = 0.43; men, p = 0.9; women, p = 0.49). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these summary effects. Publication bias was detected, which was adjusted for by a trim-and-fill method. The adjusted results showed significant summary effects (all, HR = 0.88, p = 0.002; men, HR = 0.83, p < 0.001; women, HR = 0.77, p < 0.001). The present meta-analysis suggests that the serum UA level could be a prognostic biomarker in patients with ALS. Sensitivity analyses and the trim-and-fill method supported the robustness of these results.