Risk of cerebrovascular accident in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

Dyslipidemia is common among patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and might increase the risk of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). However, data from epidemiologic studies remain inconclusive. This study aims to further investigate this association.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies that compared the risk of CVA in patients with PBC versus controls. Pooled risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were combined using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird.

RESULTS

Four studies with 2309 patients with PBC were identified and included in our data analysis. The pooled risk ratio of CVA in patients with PBC was 1.11 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.51). The statistical heterogeneity was insignificant, with an I of 14%.

CONCLUSION

A significantly increased risk of CVA among patients with PBC was not observed in this study.