ObjectivesTo systematically review the association between the SIX6 gene rs10483727 mutation and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases were searched to collect case-control studies on the SIX6 gene rs10483727 polymorphism and primary open angle glaucoma from inception to December 28th, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was performed by Stata 12.0 software.ResultsSeventeen case-control studies in 16 papers were included, involving 9 886 patients and 19 663 controls. The results of meta-analysis showed that rs10483727 polymorphism in SIX6 gene was associated with the risk of POAG in the Asians and Caucasians. However, no association was found in the Africans.ConclusionsThe current evidence shows that rs10483727 polymorphism in SIX6 gene is associated with the risk of POAG in the Asians and Caucasians.
ObjectiveTo explore the application of enhanced funnel plots (EFP) and trial sequential analysis (TSA) in robustness assessment of meta-analysis results.MethodsData were extracted from published meta-analysis. The EFP was used to evaluate the robustness of the significance and heterogeneity of the current meta-analysis. The TSA was used to judge the sufficiency of the cumulative sample size of the current meta-analysis and to assess the robustness of conclusions based on current evidence.ResultsThe EFP showed that the meta-analysis results of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was robust, and the meta-analysis results of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were not stable. The TSA showed that the cumulative sample size of LDL had reached the required information size (RIS), and the current conclusion was stable. The cumulative Z value of TG, TC and HDL neither reached the RIS nor passed through the TSA monitoring boundary or futility boundary, indicating that current conclusions were not robust.ConclusionsThe combination of EFP and TSA can make a comprehensive judgment on the robustness of current meta-analysis results, and provide methodological support in the robustness assessment of results for future systematic reviews and meta-analyses.