title: Association between whole grain intake and stroke risk: evidence from a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Researches of the relationships between dietary whole grains intake and risk of stroke have produced inconsistent results. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence from observed studies regarding the association between whole grain intake and stroke risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pertinent studies were identified by searching Web of Knowledge and PubMed up to May 2015. Random-effect model was used to combine the relative risk (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Publication bias was estimated using Egger's regression asymmetry test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six prospective studies involving 1635 stroke cases and 247487 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results suggested that highest category of whole grain intake versus lowest category was significantly associated with reduced the risk of stroke [summary RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.73-0.99, I2 = 0.0%]. Inverse associations were also found in the America population [summary RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67-0.98, I(2) = 0.0%] and subgroup analysis of females [summary RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.63-0.97, I(2) = 0.0%]. No publication bias was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analysis indicated that higher whole grain intake has a protective effect on stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Haerbin, Medical University Haerbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University Suzhou 215006, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Haerbin, Medical University Haerbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Haerbin, Medical University Haerbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Yanan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Haerbin, Medical University Haerbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Songbin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fu
keywords: Whole grain; meta-analysis; stroke