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Effect of tumor necrosis factor-α antagonism in asthma: a meta-analysis of the published literature

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Summary

It remains controversial whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonism is effective for asthma. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate efficacy of TNF-α antagonism in treatment of patients with asthma. MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and CINAHL databases were searched for English-language studies published through January 3, 2010. Randomized-controlled trials comparing TNF-α antagonism with control therapy were selected. For each report, data were extracted in relation to the outcomes analyzed: asthma exacerbation, asthma quality of life questionnaire scores, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Four assessable trials were identified including 641 patients with asthma. TNF-α antagonism therapy was superior to control therapy in preventing exacerbations in asthmatics [pooled odds ratio 0.52 (95% confidence interval 0.29–0.88), P=0.02]; however, there was a nonsignificant reduction in asthma quality of life questionnaire scores [0.23 (0 to 0.47), P=0.05], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [0.03, (−0.14 to 0.10), P=0.74] when analyzed using standardized mean differences. TNF-α antagonism was superior to control chemotherapy in terms of asthma exacerbation, but not asthma quality of life questionnaire scores or forced expiratory volume in 1 second.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Diseases, Union Hospital, Key Lab of Pulmonary Diseases of Health Ministry, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Xiaoju Chen  (陈晓菊), Liang Xiong  (熊亮), Wanli Ma  (马万里) & Qiong Zhou  (周 琼)

  2. The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China

    Xiaoju Chen  (陈晓菊)

  3. First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China

    Shouming Qin  (覃寿明)

Authors
  1. Xiaoju Chen  (陈晓菊)
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  2. Liang Xiong  (熊亮)
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  3. Shouming Qin  (覃寿明)
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  4. Wanli Ma  (马万里)
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  5. Qiong Zhou  (周 琼)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qiong Zhou  (周 琼).

Additional information

This project was supported by a grant from National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (No. 30925032) and by grants from National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 30872343 and No. 30770648).

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Chen, X., Xiong, L., Qin, S. et al. Effect of tumor necrosis factor-α antagonism in asthma: a meta-analysis of the published literature. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 31, 137–141 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-011-0165-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-011-0165-1

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