Increased circulating vascular endothelial growth factor in acute myeloid leukemia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 2 Subgroup analysis of VEGF levels in AML

Stratification group	N	SMD (95% CI)	Heterogeneity test			Publication bias
Stratification group	N	SMD (95% CI)	Q	P	I² (%)	t	P
Total	14	0.85 (0.28 to 1.42)	146.87	< 0.001	91.1	− 0.75	0.467
Sample size
n ≥ 40	6	0.95 (0.14 to 1.77)	66.45	< 0.001	92.5	− 1.13	0.321
n < 40	8	0.77 (− 0.11 to 1.65)	80.21	< 0.001	91.3	− 0.92	0.392
Sample type
Plasma	8	0.80 (0.16 to 1.44)	70.81	< 0.001	90.1	− 0.85	0.430
Serum	6	0.93 (− 0.28 to 2.14)	75.64	< 0.001	93.4	− 0.66	0.545
Region
Asia and Africa	11	1.09 (0.39 to 1.80)	119.16	< 0.001	91.6	− 0.22	0.828
Europe and America	3	0.01 (− 0.28 to 0.31)	0.06	0.970	0.0	5.41	0.116
Age
Age ≥ 45	2	2.05 (0.06 to 4.04)	19.71	< 0.001	94.9	NA	NA
Age < 45	5	0.15 (− 0.64 to 0.93)	29.89	< 0.001	86.6	0.57	0.610
Combined	7	0.69 (− 0.23 to 1.62)	89.84	< 0.001	93.3	0.25	0.809

N number, SMD standard mean difference, CI confidence interval, AML acute myeloid leukemia, VEGF vascular endothelial growth factor

ISSN: 2046-4053