Percentage changes in mean brain volume in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving disease modifying therapy compared and those receiving placebo.

<p>Percentage changes in mean brain volume in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis receiving disease modifying therapy compared and those receiving placebo.</p

Obesity and Risk for Brain/CNS Tumors, Gliomas and Meningiomas: A Meta-Analysis

<div><p>Objective</p><p>This meta-analysis aims to examine the association between being overweight/obese and risk of meningiomas and gliomas as well as overall brain/central nervous system (CNS) tumors.</p><p>Study Design</p><p>Potentially eligible publications were sought in PubMed up to June 30, 2014. Random-effects meta-analysis and dose-response meta-regression analysis was conducted. Cochran Q statistic, I-squared and tau-squared were used for the assessment of between-study heterogeneity. The analysis was performed using Stata/SE version 13 statistical software.</p><p>Results</p><p>A total of 22 studies were eligible, namely 14 cohort studies (10,219 incident brain/CNS tumor cases, 1,319 meningioma and 2,418 glioma cases in a total cohort size of 10,143,803 subjects) and eight case-control studies (1,009 brain/CNS cases, 1,977 meningioma cases, 1,265 glioma cases and 8,316 controls). In females, overweight status/obesity was associated with increased risk for overall brain/CNS tumors (pooled RR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.03–1.21, 10 study arms), meningiomas (pooled RR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.13–1.43, 16 study arms) and gliomas (pooled RR = 1.17, 95%CI: 1.03–1.32, six arms). Obese (BMI>30 kg/m²) females seemed particularly aggravated in terms of brain/CNS tumor (pooled RR = 1.19, 95%CI: 1.05–1.36, six study arms) and meningioma risk (pooled RR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.28–1.71, seven arms). In males, overweight/obesity status correlated with increased meningioma risk (pooled RR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.22–2.04, nine study arms), whereas the respective association with overall brain/CNS tumor or glioma risk was not statistically significant. Dose-response meta-regression analysis further validated the findings.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Our findings highlight obesity as a risk factor for overall brain/CNS tumors, meningiomas and gliomas among females, as well as for meningiomas among males.</p></div

Subgroup analysis of the randomized clinical trials on percentage brain volume changes between the first and second year of the study.

<p>Subgroup analysis of the randomized clinical trials on percentage brain volume changes between the first and second year of the study.</p

Meta-regression analyses of the percentage change in brain volume over time between treatment subgroups (blue lines) and placebo subgroups (red lines).

<p>Meta-regression analyses of the percentage change in brain volume over time between treatment subgroups (blue lines) and placebo subgroups (red lines).</p

Characteristics of the included cohort studies.

<p>NR: not reported, NA: Not Applicable</p><p>Characteristics of the included cohort studies.</p

Flow chart describing the successive steps during the selection of eligible studies.

<p>Flow chart describing the successive steps during the selection of eligible studies.</p

Forest plot describing the association between overweight status/obesity and glioma risk among females.

<p>Apart from the overall analysis, the subanalyses on cohort (upper panels) and case-control (lower panels) studies are presented.</p

Forest plot describing the association between overweight status /obesity and meningioma risk among females,.

<p>Apart from the overall analysis, the subanalyses on cohort (upper panels) and case-control (lower panels) studies are presented.</p

Overall analysis of disability progression in placebo-control randomized clinical trials of different disease modifying therapies in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

<p>Overall analysis of disability progression in placebo-control randomized clinical trials of different disease modifying therapies in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.</p

Flow chart presenting the selection of eligible studies.

<p>Flow chart presenting the selection of eligible studies.</p