Association of Fibrinogen With Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Validation of a risk factor in a multifactorial disease like ischemic stroke is necessary to practice precision medicine. Many risk factors have been attributed to causing ischemic stroke but contribute very little to it. There are many risk factors that need to be validated, and fibrinogen is one such risk factor. Using a meta-analysis technique, we investigated fibrinogen as a risk factor for ischemic stroke. We searched the computerized databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane to explore articles on ischemic stroke. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. A total of 10 case-control studies with 6877 cases and 7219 controls were included in the study that match inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Asiatic population was portrayed in four studies, whereas the Caucasian population was portrayed in six studies. Under the recessive model, an elevated level of serum fibrinogen is linked to an increased risk of ischemic stroke as shown by pooled odds ratio (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.19-1.76, I(2) = 78.3%, P = 0.000). Our meta-analysis concluded that a high level of fibrinogen is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke.