title: Plasma/Serum Leptin Levels in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently published data regarding the relationship between plasma/serum leptin levels and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are contradictory. To derive a more precise evaluation of this relationship, a meta-analysis was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published literature from PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were obtained. The study quality was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Pooled standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated by fixed-effects or random-effect model analysis. Heterogeneity among studies was estimated using the Cochran Q and I(2) statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 11 studies including 868 SLE patients and 591 controls were finally included in the meta-analysis. No significant differences in plasma/serum leptin levels was found between SLE patients and healthy controls when all studies were pooled into the meta-analysis (pooled SMD = 0.269, 95% CI = -0.188 to 0.726). However, subgroup analyses showed that SLE patients from an Asian population, age ≥40 years and BMI <25 had higher plasma/serum leptin levels when compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no significant difference in plasma/serum leptin levels between the entire group of SLE patients and controls. However, plasma/serum leptin levels are significantly higher in the subgroup of SLE patients from an Asian population ≥40 years of age and with a BMI <25.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Population Health and Major Disease Screening and Diagnosis, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Miao
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Population Health and Major Disease Screening and Diagnosis, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Tian-Ping
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Population Health and Major Disease Screening and Diagnosis, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Xue
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Leng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Population Health and Major Disease Screening and Diagnosis, Hefei, Anhui, China. Electronic address: panhaifeng1982@sina.com.
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Autoimmune disease; Leptin; Meta-analysis; SLE; Systemic lupus erythematosus