Table 3. Subgroup analysis of telomere length and cancer progression.
| Subgroup a | No. of studies | Risk (95% CI) | P | I 2 | P for metareg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 0.609 | ||||
| < = 60 years | 8 | 1.27 (0.86–1.89) | 0.223 | 74.90% | |
| > 60 years | 8 | 1.86 (1.37–2.54) | 0.000 | 51.10% | |
| Unclear | 2 | 1.05 (0.23–4.81) | 0.951 | 94.70% | |
| Follow-up time | 0.990 | ||||
| < 45 months | 9 | 1.45 (0.99–2.13) | 0.056 | 75.60% | |
| > = 45 months | 8 | 1.40 (0.89–2.18) | 0.146 | 80.40% | |
| Region | 0.256 | ||||
| Asia | 5 | 1.90 (1.44–2.51) | 0.000 | 37.60% | |
| America | 2 | 2.07 (1.32–3.26) | 0.002 | 0.00% | |
| Europe | 11 | 1.08 (0.70–1.66) | 0.739 | 82.50% | |
| Cancer type | 0.640 | ||||
| GCs | 4 | 1.71 (0.90–3.25) | 0.104 | 69.40% | |
| Blood cancers | 8 | 1.51 (0.97–2.34) | 0.066 | 80.80% | |
| NCs | 2 | 0.63 (0.12–3.41) | 0.591 | 91.90% | |
| Whether adjusted for age | 0.254 | ||||
| Yes | 7 | 1.69 (1.38–2.08) | 0.000 | 20.10% | |
| No | 11 | 1.14 (0.71–1.82) | 0.589 | 83.60% | |
| Number of participants | 0.022 | ||||
| < 170 | 9 | 0.87 (0.51–1.50) | 0.612 | 80.40% | |
| > = 170 | 9 | 1.93 (1.58–2.36) | 0.000 | 38.70% | |
| Method | 0.210 | ||||
| qPCR | 11 | 1.64 (1.30–2.07) | 0.000 | 52.40% | |
| FISH | 3 | 0.68 (0.19–2.40) | 0.546 | 89.90% | |
| Southern blot | 4 | 1.79 (1.04–3.10) | 0.037 | 67.80% | |
| DNA source | 0.099 | ||||
| Blood | 7 | 2.01 (1.64–2.47) | 0.000 | 31.10% | |
| Tumor tissue | 10 | 0.95 (0.58–1.57) | 0.854 | 80.10% | |
| TL groups | 0.100 | ||||
| 2 | 16 | 1.56 (1.21–2.02) | 0.001 | 72.00% | |
| Risk type | 0.050 | ||||
| RR | 4 | 0.55 (0.17–1.82) | 0.330 | 87.60% | |
| HR | 14 | 1.69 (1.36–2.11) | 0.000 | 60.10% | |
| Total | 18 | 1.44 (1.10–1.88) | 0.008 | 75.40% |
a: results of subgroups with two or more studies included were presented.
Abbreviations: GC: gastrointestinal cancer, NC: neurologic cancer.