Effects of betaine supplementation on inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Several studies have suggested that betaine is closely related to inflammatory biomarkers that contribute to the development of metabolic diseases, but the effect remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of betaine supplementation on inflammatory markers based on randomised controlled trials (RCTs). PubMed, Web of Science and ResearchGate databases were searched up to March 2023. A total of 6 RCTs with 7 intervention trials involving 277 participants were included. Betaine supplementation led to a slight reduction in levels of circulating IL-1β of 0.65 pg/mL (95% CI, −1.23 to −0.06) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 95%). Betaine produced a small but nonsignificant reduction in levels of circulating CRP (0.33 mg/L; 95% CI, −1.79 to 1.14), IL-6 (0.47 pg/mL; 95% CI, −1.13 to 0.18) and TNF-α (0.25 pg/mL; 95% CI, −0.98 to 0.48). The present meta-analysis does not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that betaine supplementation improved the inflammation state.</p

Sex difference in response to non-small cell lung cancer immunotherapy: an updated meta-analysis

Studying sex differences in the efficacy of immunotherapy may contribute to the practice of the precision medicine, especially in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a kind of cancer with sexual bimorphism. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published by PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Scopus, before 15 June 2022, testing immunotherapy (CTLA-4 or PD-1/L1 inhibitor alone, combination or with chemotherapy) versus non-immunotherapy (receiving chemotherapy or placebo only) were included to assess different efficacy between males and females. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). This meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022298439). Sixteen RCTs, involving 10,155 patients with advanced NSCLC, was collected in this meta-analysis. The pooled HR comparing immunotherapy vs non-immunotherapy were 0.76 (95%CI 0.71–0.81) for males and 0.74 (95%CI 0.63–0.87) for females. The pooled HRs comparing immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy were 0.79 (95%CI 0.70–0.89) for males and 0.63 (95%CI 0.42–0.92) for females. The pooled HRs comparing ICIs versus chemotherapy were 0.74 (95%CI 0.67–0.81) for males and 0.83 (95%CI 0.73–0.95) for females. In squamous NSCLC, the pooled HRs comparing immunotherapy vs non-immunotherapy were 0.73 (95%CI 0.58–0.91) for males and 0.74 (95%CI 0.37–1.48) for females. In non-squamous NSCLC, the pooled HRs comparing immunotherapy versus non-immunotherapy were 0.62 (95%CI 0.71–0.94) for males and 0.59 (95%CI 0.39–0.89) for females. Compared to chemotherapy, immunotherapy can improve the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC. Meanwhile, there are sex differences in the efficacy of immunotherapy.KEY MESSAGECompared to chemotherapy, immunotherapy can improve the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC.The most interesting thing in this study is that immunotherapy showed significant sex differences in the treatment of squamous NSCLC. Compared to chemotherapy, immunotherapy can improve the prognosis of patients with advanced NSCLC. The most interesting thing in this study is that immunotherapy showed significant sex differences in the treatment of squamous NSCLC.</p