Toxic heavy metal concentrations in multiple sclerosis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The present meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between MS patients and control subjects in terms of their circulating levels of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd). We searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase up until June 2020 to identify all studies that examined the concentrations of heavy metals in MS patients. Statistical tests used to assess inter-study heterogeneity were Cochrane���s Q test and the I2 statistic. Given the observed significant heterogeneity, the random-effects model was employed to pool the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Out of a total of 1181 articles, 16 studies with 1650 participants (772 patients with MS and 878 controls) were included in this review meta-analysis. Pooled results using random-effects model showed that the levels of Pb (WMD= 0.73 ��g/L, 95 % CI= 0.33 to 1.12, P< 0.001), As (WMD= 2.48 ��g/L, 95 % CI= 1.44 to 3.53, P
EXCLI Journal; 20:Doc1571; ISSN 1611-2156