Mutations in the HFE gene and cardiovascular disease risk: an individual patient data meta-analysis of 53 880 subjects.
Background— Whether mutations in the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene increase cardiovascular disease risk is still undetermined. The main reason is the low frequency of the mutations, in particular of the compound C282Y/H63D genotype. We combined the data of 11 observational studies for an individual patient data meta-analysis. Methods and Results— Individual patient data were obtained from published as well as unpublished studies that had information available on the C282Y mutation as well as the H63D mutation in relation to coronary heart disease risk. Individual records were provided on each of the 53 880 participants in 11 studies. In total, 10 541 patients with coronary events were documen…
Range of Normal Liver Stiffness and Factors Associated With Increased Stiffness Measurements in Apparently Healthy Individuals
Background & Aims: Transient elastography (TE) is a noninvasive technique used to measure liver stiffness to estimate the severity of fibrosis. The range of liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) in healthy individuals is unclear. We performed a systematic review to determine the range of LSMs, examined by TE, in healthy individuals and individuals who are susceptible to fibrosis. Methods: We collected data from 16,082 individuals, in 26 cohorts, identified from systematic searches of Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for studies of liver stiffness measurements. Studies analyzed included apparently healthy adul…