Aqueous Humor Mediator and Cytokine Aberrations in Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Table 3
Subgroup analyses according to the location, diagnosis criteria of DR, and cytokine measurements.
Number of studies
SMD (95% CI)
Location
Asia
6
1.40 (0.65, 2.14)
<0.001
93.40%
<0.001
South America
1
13.16 (10.31, 16.01)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
North America
1
0.23 (-0.46, 0.93)
0.513
N.A
N.A
Diagnosis criteria for DR
ETDRS
5
1.32 (0.25, 2.40)
0.016
93.10%
<0.001
Dilated fundoscopic examination
1
2.01 (1.42, 2.59)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Disease Severity Scale
1
0.31 (0.03, 0.59)
0.028
N.A
N.A
Indirect ophthalmoscopy
1
1.17 (0.62, 1.71)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
Cytokine measurements
ELISA
3
4.26 (1.76, 6.75)
0.001
97.80%
<0.001
Luminex xMAP suspension array
1
0.23 (-0.46, 0.93)
0.513
N.A
N.A
Multiplex bead array assay
1
2.67 (1.79, 3.56)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
Magnetic color bead-based multiplex assay
1
2.01 (1.42, 2.59)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
Multiplex bead immunoassay
1
0.31 (0.03, 0.59)
0.028
N.A
N.A
Becton Dickinson CBA software
1
1.17 (0.62, 1.71)
<0.001
N.A
N.A
value for heterogeneity. SMD: standardized mean difference; ETDRS: Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study; N.A: not applicable; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
