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Do polymorphisms of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene affect the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia?

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Abstract

Meta-analysis has become an important statistical tool in genetic association studies, since it may provide more powerful and precise estimates. However, meta-analytic studies are prone to several potential biases not only because the preferential publication of ``positive'' studies but also due to difficulties in obtaining all relevant information during the study selection process. In this letter, we point out major problems in meta-analysis that may lead to biased conclusions, illustrating an empirical example of two recent meta-analyses on the relation between MTHFR polymorphisms and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia that, despite the similarity in statistical methods and period of study selection, provided partially conflicting results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heart Institute (InCor), São Paulo University Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Tiago Veiga Pereira & Alexandre Costa Pereira

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Paulo InCor - Instituto do Coração , Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44, CEP, 05403-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Tiago Veiga Pereira

  3. Clinical and Toxicological Analysis Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Martina Rudnicki

  4. Division of Experimental Medicine, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria S. Pombo-de-Oliveira

  5. Fleury Research Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Rendrik França Franco

Authors
  1. Tiago Veiga Pereira
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  2. Martina Rudnicki
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  3. Alexandre Costa Pereira
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  4. Maria S. Pombo-de-Oliveira
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  5. Rendrik França Franco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tiago Veiga Pereira.

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Pereira, T.V., Rudnicki, M., Pereira, A.C. et al. Do polymorphisms of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene affect the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia?. Eur J Epidemiol 21, 885–886 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-006-9079-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-006-9079-9

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