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Review
. 2018;43(1):103-108.
doi: 10.5114/ceji.2018.74880. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Interleukin-6 levels in the serum and saliva of patients with oral lichen planus compared with healthy controls: a meta-analysis study

Hamid Reza Mozaffari  1 , Roohollah Sharifi  2 , Masoud Sadeghi  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Interleukin-6 levels in the serum and saliva of patients with oral lichen planus compared with healthy controls: a meta-analysis study

Hamid Reza Mozaffari et al. Cent Eur J Immunol. 2018.

Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine that contributes to the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP). The aim of this meta-analysis study is the evaluation of IL-6 levels in the serum and saliva of patients with OLP compared with healthy controls. We searched the studies in 5 databases: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, from 1983 to Oct 31, 2016. Eleven studies were analysed for the meta-analysis study. The reviewers independently evaluated the quality of each included study using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A random-effects meta-analysis, using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2.0, was used to reflect the variation in studies. Heterogeneity between estimates was evaluated by the Q and I2 statistics and for the Q statistic; heterogeneity was considered for p < 0.1. Eleven studies included 529 OLP patients and 333 healthy controls. The review identified two different biomaterials used for IL-6 assays: saliva and serum. The mean quality score of eleven studies was 7 (high quality). Estimates pooled from 6 studies showed significant high saliva IL-6 levels in OLP patients compared with healthy controls (the standardised difference in means (SDM) = 4.534, 95% CI = 1.915-7.153, p = 0.001). Also, estimates pooled from 7 studies showed significantly high serum IL-6 levels in OLP patients compared with healthy controls (SDM = 1.482, 95% CI = 0.524-2.439, p = 0.002). The higher levels of IL-6 in saliva compared with serum suggest that measurement of this marker in saliva may be more useful than serum for diagnostic and therapeutic aims.

Keywords: interleukin-6; lichen planus; saliva; serum.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of the study selection processes to identify studies eligible for the systematic review
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot of random-effect of interleukin-6 levels of saliva in OLP groups compared with healthy controls; Std diff – standard difference, OLP – oral lichen planus
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot of random-effect of interleukin-6 levels of serum in OLP groups compared with healthy controls; Std diff – standard difference, OLP – oral lichen planus
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel plot of random-effect of interleukin-6 of (A) saliva and (B) serum in oral lichen planus groups compared with healthy controls; Std diff – standard difference
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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