Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as potential diagnostic biomarkers for CVDs. Aim To systematically evaluate the diagnostic value of lncRNAs for CVDs through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods Studies focusing on lncRNAs as diagnostic markers for CVDs were searched from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The diagnostic value of lncRNAs was calculated by pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve (AUC). Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity sources. Publication bias and sensitivity analysis were also conducted. Results A total of 16 articles (18 lncRNAs, 1125 controls, and 1855 cases) were included. LncRNAs showed pooled sensitivity of 0.81 (95% CI = 0.76-0.85) and specificity of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.80-0.90) for CVDs diagnosis. The SROC analysis revealed an AUC of 0.90 (95% CI = 0.87-0.92), indicating high diagnostic accuracy. The positive diagnostic likelihood ratio (DLR) was 5.73 (95% CI =4.07-8.08), and the negative DLR was 0.22 (95% CI = 0.18-0.28). The diagnostic score was 3.25 (95% CI = 2.79-3.71), the diagnostic odds ratio was 25.77 (95% CI = 16.22-40.93). The expression trend of lncRNAs, control type, and disease type were the main sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion LncRNAs had high sensitivity and specificity for CVDs diagnosis, showing great potential as auxiliary diagnostic tools.
Zhu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.