Meta-analysis of oxidative stress markers in oral leukoplakia versus healthy controls

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated oxidative stress markers in patients with oral leukoplakia compared to healthy controls. Data were synthesized from 12 studies included in the analysis. The primary outcome assessed the status of oxidative stress and antioxidant markers across the pooled cohort.

The analysis found that malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were higher in patients with oral leukoplakia compared to controls. The pooled mean difference was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.22 to 0.3, p < 0.05). No specific adverse events or tolerability data were reported for the intervention or exposure status.

The authors identified limitations including inconsistent previous studies on changes of various OS and antioxidant markers and a lack of systematic comparison and evaluation. Funding or conflicts of interest were not reported. The review suggests identifying potential biomarkers for early diagnosis but cautions against overstatement of diagnostic value without further evidence.

Practice relevance is limited to recognizing oxidative stress as intrinsically linked to the initiation and progression of carcinogenesis. Clinicians should note these associations but avoid inferring causation from the observed data.