Table 4.
Sensitivity and subgroup meta‐analyses of the association between cachexia or weight loss ≥ 5% and overall survival in non‐small‐cell lung cancer: Random‐effects model
| Type of analysis/variable | No. of studies | Sample size | HR (95% CI) | I2 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base‐case analysis (REM) | 16 | 6225 | 1.82 (1.47, 2.25) | 88.2 |
| Sensitivity analyses | ||||
| Age | 15 | 6080 | 1.68 (1.40, 2.01) | 81.5 |
| Gender | 13 | 3917 | 2.00 (1.53, 2.61) | 85.7 |
| Performance status | 12 | 5615 | 1.78 (1.43, 2.23) | 88.1 |
| Disease stage | 14 | 5678 | 1.98 (1.60, 2.43) | 85.7 |
| Subgroup analyses | ||||
| Geographic region | ||||
| Asia | 6 | 1511 | 2.26 (1.72, 2.97) | 55.9 |
| Europe/UK | 3 | 1436 | 2.02 (1.11, 3.68) | 80.6 |
| US/Canada | 5 | 1805 | 1.34 (1.12, 1.61) | 34.1 |
| NR/other | 2 | 1473 | 1.67 (1.46, 1.92) | 0 |
| Follow‐up time | ||||
| <1 year | 4 | 1347 | 2.32 (1.37, 3.92) | 72.1 |
| 1–3 years | 7 | 1700 | 2.15 (1.68, 2.75) | 56.6 |
| >3 years | 3 | 1916 | 1.27 (0.95, 1.69) | 68.4 |
| NR | 2 | 1262 | 1.29 (1.13, 1.46) | 0 |
| Cachexia definition | ||||
| IC criteria | 11 | 3370 | 2.26 (1.80, 2.83) | 73.0 |
| WL ≥ 5% | 5 | 2855 | 1.28 (1.12, 1.46) | 39.7 |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; I2, heterogeneity statistic; IC, international consensus; NR, not reported; REM, random‐effects model; UK, United Kingdom; US, United States; WL, weight loss.