Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is important in the pathophysiology of malaria, but its role in acute and severe malaria is largely unknown. As a result, this study used a meta-analysis approach to investigate the difference in TGF-β levels between several groups of malaria patients and healthy...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/10/299 |
| _version_ | 1797469742150189056 |
|---|---|
| author | Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui Pattamaporn Kwankaew Frederick Ramirez Masangkay Aongart Mahittikorn Manas Kotepui |
| author_facet | Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui Pattamaporn Kwankaew Frederick Ramirez Masangkay Aongart Mahittikorn Manas Kotepui |
| author_sort | Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is important in the pathophysiology of malaria, but its role in acute and severe malaria is largely unknown. As a result, this study used a meta-analysis approach to investigate the difference in TGF-β levels between several groups of malaria patients and healthy controls. The systematic review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022318864). From inception to 7 March 2022, studies that reported TGF-β levels in patients with uncomplicated and healthy controls and patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria were searched in PubMed, Scopus and Embase. The assessment of the quality of the included studies was conducted according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Qualitative and quantitative syntheses were performed to narratively describe and quantitatively pool the mean difference (MD) in TGF-β levels between uncomplicated malaria and healthy controls, and between severe and uncomplicated malaria, using a random-effects model. A total of 1027 relevant articles were identified, and 13 studies were included for syntheses. The meta-analysis results show 233 patients with uncomplicated malaria and 239 healthy controls. Patients with uncomplicated malaria (233 cases) had lower mean TGF-β levels than healthy controls (239 cases; <i>p</i> < 0.01, pooled MD = −14.72 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = −20.46 to 8.99 pg/mL, I<sup>2</sup> = 98.82%, seven studies). The meta-analysis found no difference in mean TGF-β levels between patients with severe malaria (367 cases) and patients with uncomplicated malaria (180 cases; <i>p</i> = 0.11, pooled MD = −6.07 pg/mL, 95% CI = −13.48 to 1.35 pg/mL, I<sup>2</sup> = 97.73%, six studies). The meta-analysis demonstrated decreased TGF-β levels in patients with uncomplicated malaria compared to healthy controls. In addition, no difference in TGF-β levels was found between patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria. More research is needed to determine whether TGF-β levels could be a candidate marker for malarial infection or disease severity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:25:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fcc47091572c42668561caa0349c8c23 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:25:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-fcc47091572c42668561caa0349c8c232023-11-24T03:00:38ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662022-10-0171029910.3390/tropicalmed7100299Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisKwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui0Pattamaporn Kwankaew1Frederick Ramirez Masangkay2Aongart Mahittikorn3Manas Kotepui4Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala 80160, ThailandMedical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala 80160, ThailandDepartment of Medical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santo Tomas, Manila 1008, PhilippinesDepartment of Protozoology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, ThailandMedical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Tha Sala 80160, ThailandTransforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is important in the pathophysiology of malaria, but its role in acute and severe malaria is largely unknown. As a result, this study used a meta-analysis approach to investigate the difference in TGF-β levels between several groups of malaria patients and healthy controls. The systematic review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022318864). From inception to 7 March 2022, studies that reported TGF-β levels in patients with uncomplicated and healthy controls and patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria were searched in PubMed, Scopus and Embase. The assessment of the quality of the included studies was conducted according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Qualitative and quantitative syntheses were performed to narratively describe and quantitatively pool the mean difference (MD) in TGF-β levels between uncomplicated malaria and healthy controls, and between severe and uncomplicated malaria, using a random-effects model. A total of 1027 relevant articles were identified, and 13 studies were included for syntheses. The meta-analysis results show 233 patients with uncomplicated malaria and 239 healthy controls. Patients with uncomplicated malaria (233 cases) had lower mean TGF-β levels than healthy controls (239 cases; <i>p</i> < 0.01, pooled MD = −14.72 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = −20.46 to 8.99 pg/mL, I<sup>2</sup> = 98.82%, seven studies). The meta-analysis found no difference in mean TGF-β levels between patients with severe malaria (367 cases) and patients with uncomplicated malaria (180 cases; <i>p</i> = 0.11, pooled MD = −6.07 pg/mL, 95% CI = −13.48 to 1.35 pg/mL, I<sup>2</sup> = 97.73%, six studies). The meta-analysis demonstrated decreased TGF-β levels in patients with uncomplicated malaria compared to healthy controls. In addition, no difference in TGF-β levels was found between patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria. More research is needed to determine whether TGF-β levels could be a candidate marker for malarial infection or disease severity.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/10/299transforming growth factor-βTGF-βsevere malariauncomplicated malaria |
| spellingShingle | Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui Pattamaporn Kwankaew Frederick Ramirez Masangkay Aongart Mahittikorn Manas Kotepui Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease transforming growth factor-β TGF-β severe malaria uncomplicated malaria |
| title | Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Transforming Growth Factor-β Concerning Malarial Infection and Severity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | transforming growth factor β concerning malarial infection and severity a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | transforming growth factor-β TGF-β severe malaria uncomplicated malaria |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/10/299 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kwuntidauthaisarkotepui transforminggrowthfactorbconcerningmalarialinfectionandseverityasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT pattamapornkwankaew transforminggrowthfactorbconcerningmalarialinfectionandseverityasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT frederickramirezmasangkay transforminggrowthfactorbconcerningmalarialinfectionandseverityasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT aongartmahittikorn transforminggrowthfactorbconcerningmalarialinfectionandseverityasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT manaskotepui transforminggrowthfactorbconcerningmalarialinfectionandseverityasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis |