title: Weak or absent evidence for the association of HLA-DR antigens with risk of thyroid carcinoma: a meta-analysis of observational studies.
abstract: Inconsistent reports of associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and thyroid cancers exist. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Using random-effects modeling, subgroup analyses, meta-regression and prediction interval (PI) estimation, we combined the existing evidence from 13 studies (977 cases of thyroid cancer and 3735 controls). Only HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR11 were significantly associated; however, the evidence for HLA-DR11 came from only three studies while that for HLA-DR1 had large between-study heterogeneity. All the PIs estimated in the study straddled unity. Therefore, current evidence for the studied association is incomplete as well as uncertain. Attempts to include HLA-DR typing as a prognostic or therapeutic marker may be premature at this time.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Community Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kamdi
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kandavalli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Emusu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mamtani
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Porterfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen; C080766:HLA-DR11 antigen