title: Blood-Based Circulating MicroRNAs are Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Leukemia: Result from a Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for leukemia have been validated by emerging studies. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the overall diagnostic accuracy of blood-based circulating miRNAs for leukemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wan Fang Data and CQVIP) up to June 18, 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32 studies from 10 publications were included in this meta-analysis. Diagnostic capacity was evaluated by pooled sensitivity, specifIcity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) through random-effects model. Sensitivity analyses were sequentially performed to find potential sources of heterogeneity. The quality of included studies was assessed by QUADAS (quality assessment for studies of diagnostic accuracy). Meta-Disc 1.4 and Stata 12.0 software were used to perform the meta-analysis. A high diagnostic accuracy was displayed, with a sensitivity of 0.84, a specificity of 0.88, a PLR of 7.20, a NLR of 0.18, a DOR of 52, and an AUC of 0.94. Subgroup analyses revealed better performance for combined miRNAs, acute myeloid leukemia patients and Asian population than other subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our analyses suggested that blood-based circulating miRNAs are promising diagnostic biomarkers for leukemia, especially combined miRNAs. Its clinical application awaits further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Cina.
authors.forename: Li-hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xue-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jia-jia
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shao-yan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D019540:Area Under Curve; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs