Abstract

To evaluate the relationship between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and lung cancer, we conducted a metaanalysis of studies comparing the antibodies of C. pneumoniae between lung cancer patients and controls. The random-effects model or fixed-effects model was used according to the results of heterogeneity tests. Total, 8 studies with 1602 cases and 1734 controls were included. The analysis showed that the pooled OR of the association between C. pneumoniae IgA and lung cancer was 1.82 (95% CI, 1.21-2.74), while the association between C. pneumoniae IgG and lung cancer was 1.77 (95% CI, 1.13-2.78). Thus, statistically significant differences were observed between C. pneumoniae antibodies and lung cancer. This meta-analysis suggests that C. pneumoniae infection may be a potential risk factor for lung cancer.

Keywords: Chlamydia pneumoniae, lung cancer, meta-analysis