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Translational Neuroscience

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Meta-analysis reveals protective effects of vitamin B on stroke patients

Liping Wang
  • Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130033, China
  • Other articles by this author:
  • De Gruyter OnlineGoogle Scholar
/ Weiwei Cui
  • Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
  • Other articles by this author:
  • De Gruyter OnlineGoogle Scholar
/ Guangxian Nan
  • Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130033, China
  • Other articles by this author:
  • De Gruyter OnlineGoogle Scholar
/ Yang Yu
  • Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130033, China
  • Other articles by this author:
  • De Gruyter OnlineGoogle Scholar
Published Online: 2015-08-20 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/tnsci-2015-0014

Abstract

Stroke is the loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain resulting from either ischemia or hemorrhage. Previous studies have evaluated the clinical importance of nutritional interventions such as vitamin B supplementation in the management of acute strokes. However, it is still inconclusive whether or not vitamin B supplementation will benefit patients with acute strokes. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of vitamin B supplementation in the treatment of stroke patients. Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched (from 1960 to June 2015) and forest plots were generated to illustrate the treatment effects. A systemic review of the electronic databases yielded 12 eligible studies consisting of 7474 patients. Forest plots from the meta-analyses of the included studies illustrated that vitamin B supplementation significantly lowered the plasma concentration of total homocysteine (SMD = -0.82; 95% CI: -0.77; Z = -29.06, p < 0.0001) and resulted in significant reduction in stroke recurrence (OR = 0.86%; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.97; Z = -2.41; p = 0.016) as well as a combined incidence of vascular events, including recurrent strokes, myocardial infarctions and vascular deaths (OR = 0.87%; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.96; Z= -2.73; p = 0.0063). Additionally, the nearly-symmetrical funnel plot (Egger’s test, t = −1.705, p = 0.1224) indicated the absence of publication bias regarding the meta-analysis that examined the effect of vitamin B supplementation on the plasma levels of homocysteine in acute stroke patients. These findings suggested that vitamin B supplementation presents a potential addition to the armamentarium for the management of acute stroke patients.

Keywords: Stroke; Vitamin B; Homocysteine; Meta-analysis

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About the article

Received: 2015-03-17

Accepted: 2015-06-10

Published Online: 2015-08-20


Citation Information: Translational Neuroscience, Volume 6, Issue 1, ISSN (Online) 2081-6936, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/tnsci-2015-0014.

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©2015 Liping Wang et al.. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License. BY-NC-ND 3.0

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