Dataset Information

Effect of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Folic acid is widely used to lower homocysteine concentrations and prevent adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the effect of folic acid on cardiovascular events is not clear at the present time. We carried out a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes.

Methodology and principal findings

We systematically searched Medline, EmBase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, reference lists of articles, and proceedings of major meetings for relevant literature. We included randomized placebo-controlled trials that reported on the effects of folic acid on cardiovascular events compared to placebo. Of 1594 identified studies, we included 16 trials reporting data on 44841 patients. These studies reported 8238 major cardiovascular events, 2001 strokes, 2917 myocardial infarctions, and 6314 deaths. Folic acid supplementation as compared to placebo had no effect on major cardiovascular events (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.93-1.04), stroke (RR, 0.89; 95% CI,0.78-1.01), myocardial infarction (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.93-1.07), or deaths from any cause (RR, 1.00;95% CI, 0.96-1.05). Moreover, folic acid as compared to placebo also had no effect on the following secondary outcomes: risk of revascularization (RR, 1.05; 95%CI, 0.95-1.16), acute coronary syndrome (RR, 1.06; 95%CI, 0.97-1.15), cancer (RR, 1.08; 95%CI, 0.98-1.21), vascular death (RR, 0.94; 95%CI,0.88-1.02), or non-vascular death (RR, 1.06; 95%CI, 0.97-1.15).

Conclusion/significance

Folic acid supplementation does not effect on the incidence of major cardiovascular events, stroke, myocardial infarction or all cause mortality.

SUBMITTER: Zhou YH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3182189 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effect of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Zhou Yu-Hao YH Tang Jian-Yuan JY Wu Mei-Jing MJ Lu Jian J Wei Xin X Qin Ying-Yi YY Wang Chao C Xu Jin-Fang JF He Jia J

PloS one 20110928 9

<h4>Background</h4>Folic acid is widely used to lower homocysteine concentrations and prevent adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the effect of folic acid on cardiovascular events is not clear at the present time. We carried out a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes.<h4>Methodology and principal findings</h4>We systematically searched Medline, EmBase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Tri ...[more]

PMID: 21980387

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Despite the supplementation of iron-folic acid is the recommended strategy during the antenatal period; iron deficiency anemia is the commonest hematologic complication during pregnancy. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the level of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation and its associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia. METHODS:Systematic review and meta-analysis guideline was followed for this study. Different online databases were used for the review: PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE, Google Scholar and African Journals Online. Different searching terms were applied based on the adapted PICO principles to achieve and access all the essential articles. The data were entered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Stata 11 software respectively. RESULTS:Fifteen studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 5808 pregnant women. The overall pooled prevalence of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among pregnant women in Ethiopia was 41.38% (95% CI: 33.09, 49.67). Having secondary and above educational status of the women (AOR:2.68,95%CI:1.25, 5.74), having an early registration of antenatal care follow-up (?16?weeks) (AOR:2.54,95%CI:1.99, 3.24), having anemia complication during current pregnancy (AOR:3.01,95%CI:1.88, 4.81), having good knowledge of iron-folic acid supplementation (AOR: 2.96, 95%CI:1.76, 4.99), having four times or more antenatal care follow up (AOR:3.66, 95%CI:2.81, 4.77), getting health education about benefit of iron and folic acid (AOR:2.62,95%CI:1.46,4.72), and having good knowledge about anemia (AOR:2.99,95%CI:2.32, 3.85) were associated risk factors for adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation. CONCLUSION:The overall pooled prevalence adherence of IFAS among pregnant women was lower than the WHO recommendations. Educational status, early registration of ANC, anemia in the current pregnancy, good knowledge of IFAS, number of ANC visits, good knowledge of anemia and receiving health education about the benefit of IFAS were factors associated with the adherence of IFAS among pregnant women in Ethiopia. This finding is important to design strategic policies and to prevent anemia and congenital anomaly resulted from inadequate intake of iron and folic acid.

Project description:ObjectiveTo systematically review the effect of folic acid based homocysteine lowering on cardiovascular outcomes in people with kidney disease.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesMedline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov to June 2011.Study selectionRandomised trials in people with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease or end stage kidney disease or with a functioning kidney transplant reporting at least 100 patient years of follow-up and assessing the effect of folic acid based homocysteine lowering therapy. No language restrictions were applied.Data extractionTwo reviewers independently extracted data on study setting, design, and outcomes using a standardised form. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality, or as defined by study author). Secondary endpoints included the individual composite components, all cause mortality, access thrombosis, requirement for renal replacement therapy, and reported adverse events, including haematological and neurological events. The effect of folic acid based homocysteine lowering on outcomes was assessed with meta-analysis using random effects models.Results11 trials were identified that reported on 4389 people with chronic kidney disease, 2452 with end stage kidney disease, and 4110 with functioning kidney transplants (10,951 participants in total). Folic acid based homocysteine therapy did not prevent cardiovascular events (relative risk 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.92 to 1.03, P = 0.326) or any of the secondary outcomes. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in subgroup analyses, including those of kidney disease category, background fortification, rates of pre-existing disease, or baseline homocysteine level. The definitions of chronic kidney disease varied widely between the studies. Non-cardiovascular events could not be analysed as few studies reported these outcomes.ConclusionsFolic acid based homocysteine lowering does not reduce cardiovascular events in people with kidney disease. Folic acid based regimens should not be used for the prevention of cardiovascular events in people with kidney disease.

Project description:Objective To explore if there is an increased cancer risk associated with folic acid supplements given orally. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies of folic acid supplementation in humans reporting cancer incidence and/or cancer mortality. Studies on folic acid fortification of foods were not included. Data sources Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase and Centre of Reviews and Dissemination, clinical trial registries and hand-searching of key journals. Results From 4104 potential references, 19 studies contributed data to our meta-analyses, including 12 randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Meta-analysis of the 10 RCTs reporting overall cancer incidence (N=38?233) gave an RR of developing cancer in patients randomised to folic acid supplements of 1.07 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.14) compared to controls. Overall cancer incidence was not reported in the seven observational studies. Meta-analyses of six RCTs reporting prostate cancer incidence showed an RR of prostate cancer of 1.24 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.49) for the men receiving folic acid compared to controls. No significant difference in cancer incidence was shown between groups receiving folic acid and placebo/control group, for any other cancer type. Total cancer mortality was reported in six RCTs, and a meta-analysis of these did not show any significant difference in cancer mortality in folic acid supplemented groups compared to controls (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.30). None of the observational studies addressed mortality. Conclusions A meta-analysis of 10 RCTs showed a borderline significant increase in frequency of overall cancer in the folic acid group compared to controls. Overall cancer incidence was not reported in the seven observational studies. Prostate cancer was the only cancer type found to be increased after folic acid supplementation (meta-analyses of six RCTs). Prospective studies of cancer development in populations where food is fortified with folic acid could indicate whether fortification similar to supplementation moderately increases prostate cancer risk.

Project description:BackgroundFolic acid and zinc supplements have been used to treat male infertility, but their efficacy is still debated.ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the effects of folic acid and folic acid plus zinc supplements on sperm characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of infertile men.MethodsAn online systematic search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases from inception to August 1, 2022. The goal was to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used folic acid or folic acid plus zinc to improve sperm characteristics of infertile men. Data were extracted by two investigators who independently screened the literature and assessed for quality according to the criteria. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.ResultsA total of 8 RCT studies involving 2168 patients were included. The results showed that compared with the controls, folic acid significantly increased sperm motility (MD, 3.63; 95% CI, -1.22 to 6.05; P = 0.003), but did not affect the sperm concentration (MD, 2.53; 95% CI, -1.68 to 6.73; P = 0.24) and sperm morphology (MD, -0.02; 95% CI, -0.29 to 0.24; P = 0.86) in infertile men. Folic acid plus zinc did not affect sperm concentration (MD, 1.87; 95% CI, -1.39 to 5.13; P = 0.26), motility (MD, 1.67; 95% CI, -1.29 to 4.63; P = 0.27), and morphology (MD, -0.05; 95% CI, -0.27 to 0.18; P = 0.69) in infertile men. Secondary results showed that compared with a placebo, folic acid alone had a higher rate of pregnancy in transferred embryos (35.6% vs. 20.4%, P = 0.082), but the difference was not significant. Folic acid plus zinc did not affect pregnancy outcomes.ConclusionsBased on the meta-analysis, no significant improvements in sperm characteristics with folic acid plus zinc supplements were seen. However, folic acid alone has demonstrated the potential to improve sperm motility and in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) outcomes. This indicates that folic acid supplements alone may be a viable treatment option for male infertility.

Project description:Background:The World Health Organization recommended that 80% of communities in all countries should receive the standard dose of iron folic acid. But, in Ethiopia, this target was not yet achieved. The compliance of iron folic acid was also variable across each district. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess women compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation and its association with a number of antenatal care visits in Ethiopia using systematic review and meta-analysis, 2018. Methods:In the current meta-analysis, the target variables were searched from different electronic database system like PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library. To predict the pooled prevalence of compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation in Ethiopia, all original studies were considered. All necessary data were extracted by using a standardized data extraction format. The data were analyzed by using STATA 14 statistical software. Heterogeneity between the studies was assessed by Cochrane Q and I 2 tests. A random effect model was computed to estimate the pooled compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation. Results:Twelve full-text studies were included in the meta-analysis. The findings of this meta-analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation in Ethiopia was 43.63% (CI: 28.00, 59.25%). The women from the city administration had a high rate of compliance as compared with other regions of Ethiopia. The odds of having four or more antenatal care visit were the independent pooled predictor of compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation. Conclusion:Current compliance with iron-folic supplementation was lower than the World health organization recommendation. Mothers from the city administration who utilized the antenatal care four and above times, had high level compliance with iron-folic acid supplementation. Therefore, we recommended that women should visit the antenatal clinic four times to compliance with the iron folic acid supplementation.

Dataset Information

Effect of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background

Methodology and principal findings

Conclusion/significance

Publications

Effect of folic acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Similar Datasets

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