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Published on: June 2, 2022
Association of Serum Calcium with Carotid Atherosclerosis: A Meta-Analysis
Huan Li1, Ruicai Xu2, Yizhi Liu3
1School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China, h19861400652@163.com.
Insights
Higher serum calcium levels are linked to carotid atherosclerosis, a condition affecting neck arteries. This meta-analysis confirms a significant positive correlation, suggesting calcium may play a role in this vascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Inconsistent findings exist regarding serum calcium and carotid atherosclerosis.
- This study addresses the need for a clearer understanding of this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis investigating the relationship between serum calcium levels and carotid atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, etc.) up to October 2023.
- Inclusion of 9 cross-sectional studies with 9,720 participants.
- Meta-analysis performed using Review Manager 5.3 software.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant difference in serum calcium levels was observed between patients with carotid atherosclerosis and controls (p = 0.03).
- The standardized mean difference was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.41), indicating higher calcium levels in the atherosclerosis group.
Conclusions:
- The meta-analysis demonstrates a significant positive correlation between elevated serum calcium levels and carotid atherosclerosis.
- This finding suggests serum calcium may be a contributing factor or marker for carotid atherosclerosis.
Introduction:
Current studies on the association between serum calcium levels and carotid atherosclerosis have yielded inconsistent results. This study aimed to elucidate this relationship through a comprehensive meta-analysis.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Weipu (VIP), and Wanfang databases was conducted, supplemented by manual retrieval, from their inception to October 2023. Two independent researchers conducted literature searches, data extraction, and quality assessment. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 software on studies that met the inclusion criteria.
Results:
The analysis included 9 cross-sectional studies, encompassing a total sample size of 9,720 participants. The meta-analysis revealed a significant statistical difference in serum calcium levels between the carotid atherosclerosis group and the control group (p = 0.03). The standardized mean difference between the two groups was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.41) using the control group as a reference.
Conclusions:
Our systematic analysis indicates a significant positive correlation between serum calcium levels and carotid atherosclerosis.
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