Allergy reduces the risk of meningioma: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Epidemiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors, but their etiology remains poorly understood.
• Existing data on the link between atopic (allergic) diseases and meningioma risk are inconsistent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis investigating the association between allergic conditions and the risk of developing meningioma.
• To clarify the relationship between specific allergic diseases and meningioma risk.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and Web of Science databases (1979-2016).
• Included studies were evaluated by two independent investigators based on predefined criteria.
• Data from 8 case-control and 2 cohort studies, involving 5,679 meningioma cases and 55,621 controls, were pooled for analysis.

Main Results:

• A pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.70-0.94) indicated a reduced risk of meningioma in individuals with allergic conditions compared to those without.
• Inverse correlations were observed for asthma (OR: 0.78; 0.70-0.86) and eczema (OR: 0.78; 0.69-0.87).
• Hay fever showed a weaker, though significant, association with reduced meningioma risk (OR: 0.88; 0.78-0.99).

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that allergic conditions are associated with a decreased risk of developing meningiomas.
• Potential confounding variables may contribute to heterogeneity across studies.
• Further large-scale cohort studies are warranted to confirm this protective association.