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Table 2 The results of meta-analyses for the association between deregulated exomiRs and overall survival (OS), and disease/relapse/progression-free survival (DFS/RFS/PFS) in patients with GI cancers

From: Circulating exosomal microRNAs as potential prognostic biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Study groups

Included exomiRs

Test of association

Test of heterogeneity

HR (95% CI)

P-value

I2%

P-value

OS

 All studies

52

1.998 (1.705–2.341)

 < 0.001

76.564

 < 0.001

The type of exomiRs deregulation

 Up-regulation

37

2.053 (1.720–2.449)

 < 0.001

66.043

 < 0.001

 Down-regulation

15

1.789 (1.251–2.559)

0.001

87.290

 < 0.001

Type of cancer

 Colorectal

21

2.928 (2.417–3.547)

 < 0.001

19.747

0.204

 Gastric

7

1.353 (0.827–2.214)

0.229

88.803

 < 0.001

 Hepatocellular

16

1.582 (1.264–1.979)

 < 0.001

76.367

 < 0.001

 Pancreatic

6

2.514 (1.478–4.279)

0.001

48.243

0.085

 locally advanced rectal

2

0.958 (0.601–1.525)

0.856

0.000

0.506

Sample size

  ≥ 100

29

2.306 (1.789–2.973)

 < 0.001

81.157

 < 0.001

  < 100

23

1.659 (1.359–2.025)

 < 0.001

65.182

 < 0.001

Sample type

 Plasma

27

1.890 (1.497–2.386)

 < 0.001

82.109

 < 0.001

 Serum

25

2.125 (1.752–2.578)

 < 0.001

51.047

0.002

Survival analysis

 Direct

44

2.114 (1.719–2.601)

 < 0.001

79.360

 < 0.001

 Indirect

8

1.559 (1.368–1.776)

 < 0.001

1.170

0.420

NOS score

  ≥ 7

25

2.165 (1.577–2.972)

 < 0.001

78.093

 < 0.001

  < 7

27

1.850 (1.534–2.231)

 < 0.001

74.863

 < 0.001

Ethnicity

 Asian

46

2.085 (1.746–2.489)

 < 0.001

78.377

 < 0.001

 Caucasian

6

1.327 (0.934–1.886)

0.115

25.255

0.245

DFS/RFS/PFS

 All studies

29

1.920 (1.641–2.245)

 < 0.001

55.871

 < 0.001

Deregulation

 Up-regulation

21

2.086 (1.725–2.522)

 < 0.001

41.988

0.023

 Down-regulation

8

1.607 (1.218–2.122)

0.001

72.320

0.001

Type of cancer

 Colorectal

9

2.105 (1.736–2.554)

 < 0.001

0.000

0.734

 Gastric

4

1.408 (0.781–2.539)

0.256

86.773

 < 0.001

 Hepatocellular

10

1.923 (1.651–2.239)

 < 0.001

0.000

0.740

 Pancreatic

4

3.195 (2.019–5.056)

0.000

0.000

0.839

 Locally advanced rectal

2

1.034 (0.758–1.410)

0.834

0.000

0.567

Sample size

  ≥ 100

15

1.911 (1.520–2.402)

 < 0.001

64.800

 < 0.001

  < 100

14

1.890 (1.506–2.373)

 < 0.001

45.085

0.034

Sample type

 Plasma

13

1.819 (1.317–2.510)

 < 0.001

74.592

 < 0.001

 Serum

16

1.906 (1.680–2.163)

 < 0.001

0.000

0.633

Survival analysis

 Direct

20

2.019 (1.594–2.558)

 < 0.001

67.219

 < 0.001

 Indirect

9

1.809 (1.552–2.109)

 < 0.001

0.000

0.725

NOS score

  ≥ 7

14

1.803 (1.498–2.170)

 < 0.001

41.843

0.050

  < 7

15

2.062 (1.571–2.706)

 < 0.001

65.905

 < 0.001

Ethnicity

 Asian

26

1.998 (1.705–2.341)

 < 0.001

50.425

0.002

 Caucasian

3

1.109 (0.800–1.538)

0.535

10.141

0.329