Trace elements and Alzheimer dementia in population-based studies: A bibliometric and meta-analysis

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#humans #trace-elements #selenium #manganese #copper

Trace elements and Alzheimer dementia in population-based studies: A bibliometric and meta-analysis

Li et al., 2023 | Environ Pollut | Meta Analysis

Citation

Li Kai, Li Ang, ... Xu Qun. Trace elements and Alzheimer dementia in population-based studies: A bibliometric and meta-analysis. Environ Pollut. 2023-Feb-01;318:120782. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120782

Abstract

Alterations in the concentrations of trace elements may play a vital role in Alzheimer dementia progression. However, previous research results are inconsistent, and there is still a lack of review on the relationship between all the studied-trace elements and AD from various perspectives of population-based studies. In this study, we systematically reviewed previous population-based studies and identified the altered trace elements in AD patients. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus database, and ultimately included 73 articles. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to explore the evolution of the field from an epidemiological perspective. Bibliometric data such as trace elements, biological materials, detection methods, cognitive tests, co-occurrence and co-citation statistics are all analyzed and presented in a quantitative manner. The 73 included studies analyzed 39 trace elements in total. In a further meta-analysis, standardized mean differences (SMDs) of 13 elements were calculated to evaluate their altered in AD patients, including copper, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, lead, aluminum, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, mercury, cobalt, and manganese. We identified four trace elements-copper (serum), iron (plasma), zinc (hair), and selenium (plasma)-altered in AD patients, with SMDs of 0.37 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10, 0.65), -0.68 (95% CI: -1.34, -0.02), -0.35 (95% CI: -0.62, -0.08), and -0.61 (95% CI: -0.97, -0.25), respectively. Finally, we formed a database of various trace element levels in AD patients and healthy controls. Our study can help future researchers gain a comprehensive understanding of the advancements in the field, and our results provide comprehensive population-based data for future research.

Key Findings

Our study can help future researchers gain a comprehensive understanding of the advancements in the field, and our results provide comprehensive population-based data for future research.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 73
Age Range See abstract
Condition cognitive

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Trace Elements
  • Selenium
  • Manganese
  • Copper
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Zinc
  • Iron

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, Journal Article
  • Vertical: chromium

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09