Variants of the elastin (ELN) gene and susceptibility to intracranial aneurysm: a synthesis of genetic association studies using a genetic model-free approach.

Background: The presence of an intracranial aneurysm (IA) is thought to have a genetic origin. The genetic association studies (GAS) that investigated the association between IA and elastin gene (ELN) variants have produced contradictory or inconclusive results.

Materials And Methods: In order to decrease the uncertainty of estimated genetic risk effects, a meta-analysis of published GAS-related variants in the ELN gene (ELN INT20 1315T > C, EX20 1264G > A, INT23 1501 + 24T > C and INT4 196 + 71G > A) with susceptibility to IA was conducted using a genetic model-free approach.

Assessment of the relative effectiveness and tolerability of treatments of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a network meta-analysis.

Purpose: The relative effectiveness and tolerability of treatments for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not well understood because few randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) have compared these treatments directly. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relative effectiveness and tolerability of treatments of T2DM.

Methods: We performed a network meta-analysis of available RCTs with pharmacologic interventions in T2DM and compared antidiabetic drugs and combination regimens with metformin (the reference drug).