Table 3. Fibrate use and cancer risk: Meta-analysis and subgroup analysis.

		Pooled effect estimate		Tests of homogeneity			Tests for reporting bias
	N	RR	(95% CI)	Q (d.f.)	p-value	I2	Begg’s p	Egger’s p
Cancer Deaths:
All RCTs	16	1.06	(0.92–1.22)	8.54 (15)	0.90	0%	0.89	0.18
Bezafibrate	3	1.00	(0.68–1.48)	0.00 (2)	0.99	0%	0.99	0.79
Clofibrate	6	1.31	(0.90–1.92)	2.88 (5)	0.72	0%	0.99	0.32
Fenofibrate	3	1.08	(0.90–1.31)	2.26 (2)	0.32	12%	0.30	0.077
Gemfibrozil	4	0.87	(0.61–1.24)	0.90 (3)	0.83	0%	0.31	0.43
Duration ≥5 years	9	1.08	(0.93–1.26)	5.85 (8)	0.66	0%	0.75	0.34
Participants ≥1,000	7	1.08	(0.94–1.24)	4.55 (6)	0.60	0%	0.99	0.84
Both previous criteria	6	1.09	(0.94–1.27)	4.40 (5)	0.49	0%	0.99	0.89
Cancer Incidence:
All RCTs	10	1.02	(0.92–1.12)	5.89 (9)	0.75	0%	0.72	0.28
Bezafibrate	2	0.93	(0.70–1.24)	0.00 (1)	0.98	0%	0.99	–
Clofibrate	2	1.16	(0.92–1.47)	0.57 (1)	0.45	0%	0.99	–
Fenofibrate	2	1.05	(0.92–1.20)	0.41 (1)	0.52	0%	0.99	–
Gemfibrozil	4	0.89	(0.73–1.10)	1.47 (3)	0.69	0%	0.73	0.64
Duration ≥5 years	8	1.02	(0.93–1.13)	3.95 (7)	0.79	0%	0.99	0.81
Participants ≥1,000	6	1.02	(0.93–1.13)	3.84 (5)	0.57	0%	0.99	0.60
Both previous criteria	6	1.02	(0.93–1.13)	3.84 (5)	0.57	0%	0.99	0.60
Respiratory Cancer	4	0.99	(0.71–1.37)	1.36 (3)	0.72	0%	0.99	0.92
Breast Cancer	1	0.98	(0.63–1.53)	–	–	–	–	–
Genitourinary Cancer	4	1.11	(0.89–1.38)	2.05 (3)	0.56	0%	0.73	0.89
Prostate Cancer	3	1.25	(0.96–1.63)	1.24 (2)	0.54	0%	0.99	0.99
Gastrointestinal Cancer	5	0.91	(0.73–1.14)	5.29 (4)	0.26	24%	0.46	0.033
Colorectal Cancer	3	0.98	(0.71–1.34)	3.96 (2)	0.14	49%	0.99	0.43
Melanoma	6	0.54	(0.22–1.31)	5.50 (5)	0.36	9%	0.99	0.66

RR, risk ratio; CI, confidence interval; d.f., degrees of freedom.