Table 2.
Summary of meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis results.
|
Apoptosis biomarkers |
Main meta-analysis |
Sensitivity analysis |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of studies | Effect estimate (95% CI) | I2 | Egger’ test p value | No. of excluded studies | Effect estimate (95% CI) | I2 | Egger’ test p value | |
| Total apoptotic cells | 26 | 3.78 (2.72; 4.83) | 90% | 0.02 | 5 | 3.59 (2.58; 4.61) | 88% | 0.13 |
| APAF-1 | 4 | 1.94 (−0.66; 4.54) | 92% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Bax | 15 | 3.04 (1.78; 4.29) | 89% | 0.04 | 4 | 3.34 (1.99; 4.70) | 87% | 0.01 |
| Bcl-2 | 19 | −1.99 (−2.91;-1.06) | 89% | 0.001 | 4 | −1.37 (−2.31; −0.44) | 89% | 0.02 |
| Bax/Bcl-2 Ratio | 9 | 3.95 (1.38; 6.51) | 93% | N/A | 2 | 5.08 (1.23; 8.93) | 96% | N/A |
| Caspase-3 | 28 | 4.32 (3.14; 5.51) | 90% | <0.0001 | 3 | 4.60 (3.28; 5.93) | 90% | <0.0001 |
| Caspase-8 | 4 | 3.06 (0.98; 5.14) | 86% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Caspase-9 | 10 | 4.81 (3.01; 6.60) | 88% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cytochrome c | 11 | 3.36 (2.25; 4.47) | 69% | 0.005 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| p53 | 8 | 4.89 (2.21; 7.57) | 95% | N/A | 1 | 5.63 (2.14; 9.12) | 96% | N/A |