Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39607085›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of clinical investigation2025

Circulating Fetuin-A concentrations in rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Biagio Di Lorenzo, Stefano Zoroddu, Arduino A Mangoni, Panagiotis Paliogiannis, Gian Luca Erre, Ciriaco Carru, Angelo Zinellu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of clinical investigation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Biagio Di LorenzoDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6030-2583
Stefano ZorodduDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4423-9745
Arduino A MangoniDiscipline of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8699-1412
Panagiotis PaliogiannisDepartment of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5485-6056
Gian Luca ErreDepartment of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6818-7666
Ciriaco CarruDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Angelo ZinelluDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8396-0968

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatic diseases (RDs) include a broad group of disabling conditions with different phenotypes, from autoimmune to autoinflammatory, degenerative, metabolic or mixed manifestations. With the continuous efforts to identify therapeutic targets for new biologic drugs to treat overt clinical manifestations, research is also focusing on the discovery of new biomarkers to diagnose and manage early disease stages. In this context, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of Fetuin-A (FtA), a glycoprotein synthesized by the liver that participates in several biological processes and has been proposed as a biomarker for several disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis.

methodsA systematic search in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, from inception to the 24th of August 2024, led to the identification of 13 manuscripts from 219 records; six additional studies were identified through reference hand-search, for a total of 19 studies.

resultsThere was a significant decrease in FtA concentrations in RD patients (standardized mean difference, SMD = -.91; 95% CI -1.43 to -.39, p = .001), with no substantial contribution from any individual study nor publication bias. The effect size was significantly associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, various lipid fractions, geographical area of study conduction, study design and specific type of RD.

conclusionIn conclusion, our study identified significant reductions in FtA concentrations in RD patients versus healthy controls. These alterations were significantly associated with specific study and patient characteristics. Further research is required to identify the exact pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these alterations and the possible utility of measuring FtA for the diagnosis and management of RDs.

Indexed as

alpha-2-HS-GlycoproteinRheumatic DiseasesArthritis, RheumatoidBiomarkersBlood SedimentationHumansSpondylitis, Ankylosingalpha-2-HS-GlycoproteinBiomarkersbiomarkerFetuin‐Arheumatic diseasesα2‐Heremans‐Schmid glycoprotein

Identifiers

PMID39607085
PMCPMC12011677

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.