Association between prediagnostic glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and meningioma, and reverse causality.

<bold>Background: </bold>Although meningioma is a benign tumour, it may cause significant morbidity. Obesity and diabetes are positively associated with meningioma. To evaluate the potential effects of obesity-related prediagnostic glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol on meningioma and of prediagnostic meningioma on these biomarkers, we conducted a cohort study.<bold>Methods: </bold>We identified 41 355 individuals in the Apolipoprotein MOrtality RISk cohort with values for these biomarkers within 15 years before meningioma diagnosis, death, migration or the end of follow-up. We then estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and their interactions with time and age using Cox regression.<bold>Results: </bold>Meningioma was diagnosed in 181 women and 115 men whose median follow-up time was 7 years. Fasting serum glucose level was inversely related to meningioma among women (Ptrend=0.0006) but not men (Ptrend=0.24). Prediagnostic diabetes was inversely related to meningioma in both sexes combined (HR=0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-0.71), as was serum cholesterol within the year before diagnosis (HR=0.50, 95% CI 0.34-0.72).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Paradoxically, hyperglycaemia is inversely associated with meningioma in women. This finding does not necessarily negate the positive role of obesity or diabetes in meningioma development; rather, it may indicate that their effects depend on the stage of development. Furthermore, the prediagnostic tumour may reduce serum cholesterol levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]