Association between blood Interleukin-10 level in coronary artery disease: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and network analyses

Background: Cytokines can be key factors in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, in the serum/plasma of patients with CAD. Methods: An exhaustive search was conducted across the Web of Science, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases up to March 25, 2022. Review Manager 5.3 software was used to calculate the effect sizes, presenting the standardized mean difference (SMD) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI). STRING software, which maps protein-protein interactions (PPI), was utilized to explore the functional interactions among the genes under study. Results: From the 1130 records retrieved from the databases, 26 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled SMD for CAD cases compared to controls was 0.33 (p = 0.15). The sample size was adequate for comparing blood IL-10 levels in CAD patients versus controls. Conclusion: The findings suggest there was no significant difference in the serum/plasma levels of IL-10 between CAD patients and controls. Hence, the pathogenesis of CAD can be multifactorial and complex.