Our Reviews

A core component of our work at the HuGENet UK Coordinating Centre is to undertake HuGE reviews. Our systematic reviews and meta-analyses mainly evaluate the strength of evidence for reported gene-disease associations, and also for some reported associations between genetic variants and drug responses.

For example, we are carrying out a systematic review of studies into the links between the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and cardiovascular disease, to try to establish whether variants of the LPL gene are associated with disease and might be usable in predictive tests for disease risk. Together with colleagues in the Cambridge University Molecular Epidemiology Unit we have also examined reported associations between coronary heart disease risk and the interleukin-6 gene, and between coronary heart disease risk and selected polymorphisms in haemostatic genes.

We have also begun to look at more complex combinations of more than one genetic polymorphism plus an environmental component, because a full understanding of disease risk will only be gained from understanding the combined effects of both genetic and environmental factors. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on the effects of polymorphisms in the NAT1 and NAT 2 genes and smoking on susceptibility to bladder cancer, we have been able to show that the available evidence does provide support for a gene-gene-environment interaction in bladder cancer risk.

In addition, we undertake reviews in the area of methodology.

Completed Reviews

The association between the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 (PPARG2) Pro12Ala gene variant and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a HuGE review and meta-analysis.
Gouda H, Sagoo GS, Harding AH, Yates J, Sandhu MS, Higgins JP (2010) Am J Epidemiol 171(6): 645-655.

Systematic review of genetic association studies.
Sagoo GS, Little J, Higgins JP (2009) PLoS Med 6(3):e28.

Seven lipoprotein lipase gene polymorphisms, lipid fractions, and coronary disease: a HuGE association review and meta-analysis.
Sagoo GS, Tatt I, Salanti G, Butterworth AS, Sarwar N, van Maarle M, Jukema JW, Wiman B, Kastelein JJ, Bennet AM, de Faire U, Danesh J, Higgins JP (2008) Am J Epidemiol 168(11): 1233-1246.

Glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) polymorphisms and lung cancer: a literature-based systematic HuGE review and meta-analysis.
Carlsten C, Sagoo GS, Frodsham AJ, Burke W, Higgins JP (2008) Am J Epidemiol 167(7): 759-774.

Array-based comparative genomic hybridization for investigating chromosomal abnormalities in patients with learning disability: systematic review meta-analysis of diagnostic and false-positive yields. Subramonia-Iyer S, Sanderson S, Sagoo G, Higgins J, Burton H, Zimmern R, Kroese M, Brice P, Shaw-Smith C (2007) Genet Med 9(2): 74-79.

Tools for assessing quality and susceptibility to bias in observational studies in epidemiology: a systematic review and annotated bibliography. Sanderson S, Tatt I, Higgins JPT (2007) Int J Epidemiol 36(3):666-676.

Joint effects of the N-acetyltransferase 1 and 2 (NAT1 and NAT2) genes and smoking on bladder carcinogenesis: a literature-based systematic HuGE review and evidence synthesis. Sanderson S, Salanti G, Higgins J (2007) Am J Epidemiol 166(7): 741-751.

Butterworth A, Higgins JPT, Pharoah P. Relative and absolute risk of colorectal cancer for individuals with a family history: a meta-analysis. European Journal of Cancer 2006; 42: 216-27

Ye Z, Liu Hern Choon, Higgins JPT, Keavney BD, Lowe GDO, Collins R, Danesh J. Seven haemostatic gene polymorphisms in 64 963 cases of coronary heart disease and in 93 586 controls: meta-analysis of 187 studies. Lancet 2006; 367: 651-658

Ye Z, Song H, Higgins JPT, Pharoah P, Danesh J. Five glutathione s-transferase gene polymorphisms in 23 452 cases of lung cancer and 30 397 controls: meta-analysis of 130 studies. PLoS Medicine 2006; 3: e91

Reviews in Progress

  Related websites: Main HuGENet site | Greece Coordinating Centre | Canada Coordinating Centre