The association between allergy and risk of brain tumors: Evidence from 40 observational studies.
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PURPOSE: The potential association between the medical history of allergic conditions and brain tumors have been investigated. However, the agreement has not been reached. The aim of this meta-analysis was to explore the possible association between allergic disease and brain tumor risk. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted and eligible studies were identified. Random-effects model was applied to meta-analyze the data. RESULTS: In accordance with the retrieval strategy, 40 articles with 31 case-control studies and 9 cohort studies were enrolled in the present meta-analysis. The results suggested that history of allergy was associated with a decreased risk of brain tumor (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.86). Compared to individuals with 1 allergic condition (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.71-0.85), those with at least 2 allergic conditions (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.58-0.73) may have a potentially lower brain tumor risk. Moreover, decreased brain tumor risk was found in both adults (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.69-0.81) and children/adolescents (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.97). Allergy history is associated with a decreased risk of glioma (OR 0.71. 95% CI 0.61-0.81). Besides, glioma risk is negatively associated with asthma (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74-0.91) and eczema (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.98). There is a tendency that allergy is associated with decreased risk of meningioma (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: Allergy should be considered as a protective factor for brain tumors, especially glioma. Further prospective cohort studies are needed to provide a higher level of evidence.