Industrial odour pollution and human health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the association between residential or occupational short- and long–term exposure to odour pollution from industrial sources and the health status of the exposed population. Methods The searches were conducted in Medline, EMBASE and Scopus in April 2021. Exposure to an environmental odour from industrial sources in population resident near the source or in workers was considered. We considered outcomes for which there was a biological plausibility, such as wheezing and asthma, cough, headache, nausea and vomiting (primary outcomes). We also included stress-related symptoms and novel outcomes (e.g. mood states). Risk of bias was evaluated using the OHAT tool. For primary outcomes, when at least 3 studies provided effect estimates by comparing exposed subjects versus not exposed, we pooled the study-specific estimates of odour-related effect using random effects models. Heterogeneity was evaluated with Higgins I2. Results Thirty studies were eligible for this review, mainly cross-sectional (n = 23). Only one study involved school-age children and two studies involved workers. Only five studies reported odour effects on objective laboratory or clinical outcomes. Animal Feeding Operations and waste were the most common industrial sources. The overall odds ratios in exposed versus not exposed population were 1.15 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.29) for headache (7 studies), 1.09 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.30) for nausea/vomiting (7 studies), and 1.27 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.44) for cough/phlegm (5 studies). Heterogeneity was a moderate concern. Overall, the body of evidence was affected by a definitely high risk of bias in exposure and outcome assessment since most studies used self-reported information. Conclusions Findings underline the public health importance of odour pollution for population living nearby industrial odour sources. The limited evidence for most outcomes supports the need for high quality epidemiological studies on the association between odour pollution and its effects on human health.

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Overuse and underuse of cardiovascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for community-dwelling adults: a protocol for a systematic review

HRB Open Research ◽

10.12688/hrbopenres.13330.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 99

Author(s):

Dominic Quinn ◽

David Byrne ◽

Tom Fahey ◽

Rose Anne Kenny ◽

Christine McGarrigle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Artery Bypass ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Healthcare Intervention ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

International Guidelines

Background: Potentially inappropriate care can result from overuse or underuse of treatments, tests, or procedures. Overuse is defined as the use of health services with no clear benefit to the recipient or where harms outweigh benefits and/or costs of care. Underuse is defined as failure to deliver an effective and cost-effective healthcare intervention. Cardiovascular procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting, carotid endarterectomy, coronary angiography, and coronary angioplasty (with/without stenting) are potentially both underused and overused. This systematic review aims to identify rates of potential overuse and underuse of these cardiovascular procedures and explore any associated patient or healthcare system factors. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search of MEDLINE (via Ovid), Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and the Cochrane library will be conducted using a predefined search strategy. Eligible studies for inclusion will examine rates of overuse and underuse of cardiovascular procedures, measured against national/international guidelines, for adults aged ≥18 years. Primary observational studies including cross-sectional and cohort studies will be included. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Data will be extracted using a standardised form. Risk of bias for all included studies will be assessed using a modified version of the Hoy risk of bias tool. Where adequate data exists, and if statistically appropriate, meta-analyses will be conducted. If statistical pooling of the data is not possible, the findings will be narratively summarised focusing on the review’s objectives. Conclusion: This systematic review will examine overuse and underuse of cardiovascular procedures for adults. The results will help inform policy makers, researchers, patients, and clinicians in the appropriate use of these procedures, in line with international guidelines. Registration: This protocol has been submitted for registration on PROSPERO (CRD42021239041).

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Prevalence of smoking in adults with spinal cord stimulators: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine ◽

10.1136/rapm-2019-100996 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 214-218

Author(s):

W Michael Hooten ◽

Rajat N Moman ◽

Jodie Dvorkin ◽

E Morgan Pollard ◽

Robalee Wonderman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Spinal Cord ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Vascular Diseases ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Prevalence Studies ◽

Pooled Prevalence

BackgroundSmoking adversely impacts pain-related outcomes of spinal cord stimulation (SCS). However, the proportion of SCS patients at risk of worse outcomes is limited by an incomplete knowledge of smoking prevalence in this population. Thus, the primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the prevalence of smoking in adults with chronic pain treated with SCS.MethodsA comprehensive search of databases from 1 January 1980 to 3 January 2019 was conducted. Eligible study designs included (1) randomized trials; (2) prospective and retrospective cohort studies; and (3) cross-sectional studies. The risk of bias was assessed using a tool specifically developed for prevalence studies. A total of 1619 records were screened, 19 studies met inclusion criteria, and the total number of participants was 10 838.ResultsThirteen studies had low or moderate risk of bias, and six had a high risk of bias. All 19 studies reported smoking status and the pooled prevalence was 38% (95% CI 30% to 47%). The pooled prevalence in 6 studies of peripheral vascular diseases was 56% (95% CI 42% to 69%), the pooled prevalence of smoking in 11 studies of lumbar spine diagnoses was 28% (95% CI 20% to 36%) and the pooled prevalence in 2 studies of refractory angina was 44% (95% CI 31% to 58%).ConclusionsThe estimated prevalence of smoking in SCS patients is 2.5 times greater than the general population. Future research should focus on development, testing and deployment of tailored smoking cessation treatments for SCS patients.

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Impact of child summertime obesity interventions on body mass index, and weight-related behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017144 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. e017144 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jennette P Moreno ◽

Lydi-Anne Vézina-Im ◽

Elizabeth M Vaughan ◽

Tom Baranowski

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Sedentary Behaviour ◽

Body Mass ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

School Age Children ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

School Age

IntroductionIn previous studies, it has been found that on average, children consistently gained weight during the summer months at an increased rate compared with the 9-month school year. This contributed to an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. Several obesity-related interventions have occurred during or targeting the summer months. We propose to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of obesity prevention and treatment interventions for school-age children conducted during the summer or targeting the summer months when children are not in school on their body mass index (BMI), or weight-related behaviours.Methods and analysesA literature search will be conducted by the first author (JPM) using MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Proquest Dissertations and Theses databases from the date of inception to present. Studies must examine interventions that address the modification or promotion of weight-related behaviours (eg, dietary patterns, eating behaviours, physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour or sleep) and target school-age children (ages 5–18). The primary outcomes will be changes from baseline to postintervention and/or the last available follow-up measurement in weight, BMI, BMI percentile, standardised BMI or per cent body fat. Secondary outcomes will include changes in dietary intake, PA, sedentary behaviour or sleep. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised and non-randomised studies, as appropriate.Ethics and disseminationBecause this is a protocol for a systematic review, ethics approval will not be required. The findings will be disseminated via presentations at scientific conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal. All amendments to the protocol will be documented and dated and reported in the PROSPERO trial registry.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42016041750

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PREVALENCE THRESHOLDS THAT SHOULD BE APPLIED IN SCHISTOSOMIASIS MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION PRGROGRAMMES: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

10.1101/2021.05.10.21256643 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anthony Danso-Appiah ◽

Amadou Djirmay Garba ◽

Nathan C Lo ◽

Massimiliano Orso ◽

Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Drug Administration ◽

Mass Drug Administration ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Intensity Of Infection ◽

Global Prevalence

Background WHO-recommended prevalence thresholds for deciding schistosomiasis mass drug administration (MDA) are based on anecdotal evidence and unclear. Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis commissioned by the WHO, as part of its new schistosomiasis evidence-based guideline development, was to generate a single and global prevalence threshold that should be applied in MDA programmes. Methods We searched several databases from 1979 to 31st March 2021 without language restriction. Two reviewers selected studies, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using relevant risk of bias tools and resolved disagreements through discussion. The review followed the PRISMA guidelines. Data were analysed and presented as prevalence reduction (PR) and relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or mean difference for continuous outcomes with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-regression of observations on prevalence rates and intensity of infection of MDA programmes and sensitivity analyses to assess the robustness of the results to the risk of bias components were performed. Evidence on benefits, harms, values, preferences, compliance, acceptability, equity and feasibility were also assessed. The overall level of evidence was graded using GRADE. Results Out of 1,232 studies retrieved, 38 studies met our inclusion criteria and 34 studies were included in the meta-analysis. No direct relation was observed between prevalence and intensity of infection. Praziquantel reduced prevalence of S. haematobium in school age children (SAC) at 12 months (RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.52; 8 studies, n=37,868); at 24 months (RR 0.30; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.52; 7 studies; n=37107); at 36 months (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.71; 5 studies, n=28,146). There was no significant reduction in prevalence at 48 months (2 studies, n=10,954). For S. mansoni, there were reductions in prevalence at 12 months (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.69; 14 studies, n=86,073); 24 months (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.66; 14 studies; n=83,721);36 months (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.58; 7 studies, n=70,933) and at 48 months (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.59; 5 studies; n=27,483). Further analyses were performed from a series of created prevalence thresholds of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30% and ≥40% which showed differences in effect of MDA when each of the thresholds was applied. For annual MDA of school age children (SAC), school-based treatment (SBT) appears to perform better than community-wide treatment (CWT) in terms of prevalence reduction. For the different schistosome species, the model suggests, using the same prevalence threshold, it will take shorter time to reach elimination for S. haematobium than S. mansoni; annual MDA using SBT approach for S. haematobium will require about 10 years to achieve elimination whereas it will take over 10 years to around 15 years to achieve elimination for S. mansoni. Conclusion The evidence presented in this systematic review suggests that 10% prevalence should be used as the global prevalence threshold for implementing MDA in endemic countries.

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Use of dating sites and applications by women and their risk of sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038738 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. e038738

Author(s):

Janice França Queiroz ◽

Kleyton Santos Medeiros ◽

Ayane Cristine Alves Sarmento ◽

Michelly Nóbrega Monteiro ◽

Ricardo Ney Cobucci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Unprotected Sex ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Published Data ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Sexual Behaviours ◽

Risky Sexual Behaviours

IntroductionThe use of social networks has been increasing worldwide. Mobile websites and applications (apps) allow people to network more quickly and have more partners for sex. This can facilitate risky sexual behaviours, such as having multiple partners and unprotected sex, which can lead to a higher incidence of sexually transmitted infections. This systematic review/meta-analysis will assess the effects of the use of dating sites and apps by women on their level of engagement in risky sexual behaviours and their incidence of sexually transmitted infections.Methods and analysisThe Cochrane Central Controlled Trials Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, Embase, SciELO, Web of Science, Scopus and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature will be searched for cross-sectional studies, clinical trials and observational studies published between January 1990 and July 2020. This systematic review and meta-analysis will include studies investigating the use of mobile apps by women, risky sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted infections. The outcome will be an increase in new cases of sexually transmitted infections and HIV among women using dating sites and apps. Three independent reviewers will select the studies and extract data from the original articles. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and Risk Of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions. Data synthesis will be performed using Review Manager software (RevMan V.5.2.3). To assess heterogeneity, we will compute the I2 statistic. In addition, a quantitative synthesis will be carried out if the included studies are sufficiently homogeneous.Ethics and disseminationThis study will be a review of the published data, and thus ethical approval is not required. The findings of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019120494.

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Association between Frailty and Mortality, Falls, and Hospitalization among Patients with Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2021/2690296 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Kaiyan Hu ◽

Qi Zhou ◽

Yanbiao Jiang ◽

Zhizhong Shang ◽

Fan Mei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Predictive Value ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hypertensive Patients ◽

Injurious Falls ◽

Negative Health Outcomes

Objective. Chronological age alone does not adequately reflect the difference in health status of a patient with hypertension. Frailty is closely associated with biological age, and its assessment is clinically useful in addressing the heterogeneity of health status. The purpose of our study is to comprehensively examine the predictive value of frailty for negative health outcomes in hypertensive patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods. Multiple English and Chinese databases were searched from inception to 04.11.2020. All cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that examined the association between frailty and relevant clinical outcomes among hypertensive patients were included. The NOS was used to assess the risk of bias of studies included in the analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled for outcomes associated with frailty. Results. Six longitudinal studies and one cross-sectional study involving 17403 patients with hypertension were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of bias of all included studies was rated as low or moderate. The pooled HR of frailty related to mortality was 2.45 (95% CI: 2.08-2.88). The pooled HR of prefrailty and frailty-related injurious falls was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.83-1.37) and 1.89 (95% CI: 1.56-2.27), respectively. The pooled HR of prefrailty and frailty-related hospitalization was 1.54 (95% CI: 1.38-1.71) and 1.94 (95% CI: 1.17-3.24), respectively. Conclusions. This systematic review suggests that frailty was a strong predictor of mortality, hospitalization, and injurious falls among patients with hypertension. Our findings indicate that assessment of frailty in patients with hypertension to guide their management may be necessary in clinical setting. However, our finding was based on very limited amount studies; thus, future studies are required to further validate the role of frailty in prediction of negative health outcomes in hypertensive patients as well as pay more attention to the following knowledge gaps: (1) the association between frailty and hypertension-related outcomes, (2) the significance of the association between different frailty models and relevant clinical outcomes, and (3) the predictive value of prefrailty for the negative health outcomes in people with hypertension.

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The diagnostic performance of chest radiographs for lung malignancy in symptomatic primary-care populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BJR|Open ◽

10.1259/bjro.20210005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 20210005

Author(s):

Louis Dwyer-Hemmings ◽

Cassandra Fairhead

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Primary Care ◽

Chest Radiograph ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Chest Radiographs ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lung Malignancy ◽

Cross Sectional Imaging ◽

Sectional Imaging

Objectives: To synthesise existing evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of chest radiographs to detect lung malignancy in symptomatic patients presenting to primary care. Methods: A systematic review was performed and reported in accordance with the PRISMA framework, using a protocol prospectively registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42020212450). Nine databases were searched for relevant studies. Data were extracted and chest radiograph sensitivity and specificity calculated where possible. Risk of bias was assessed using a validated tool. Random effects meta-analysis was performed. Results: Ten studies were included. Sensitivity meta-analysis was performed in five studies which were not the high risk of bias, with summary sensitivity of 81% (95% CI: 74–87%). Specificity could be calculated in five studies, with summary specificity of 68% (95% CI: 49–87%). Conclusions: The sensitivity of chest radiographs for detecting lung malignancy in primary care is relatively low. Physicians and policymakers must consider strategies to attenuate the possibility of false reassurance with a negative chest radiograph for this significant pathology. Options include widening access to cross-sectional imaging in primary care; however, any intervention would need to take into account the medical and financial costs of possible over-investigation. Prospective trials with long-term follow-up are required to further evaluate the risks and benefits of this strategy. Advances in knowledge: The chest radiograph has a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 68% for lung malignancy in a symptomatic primary-care population. A negative chest radiograph does not exclude lung cancer, and physicians should maintain a low threshold to consider specialist referral or cross-sectional imaging.

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Is There Association Between Stress and Bruxism? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2020.590779 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Victória dos Santos Chemelo ◽

Yago Gecy de Sousa Né ◽

Deborah Ribeiro Frazão ◽

Renata Duarte de Souza-Rodrigues ◽

Nathalia Carolina Fernandes Fagundes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fixed Effect Model ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Assessment Development ◽

Effect Model ◽

Two Factors ◽

Meta Analyses

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate a possible association between stress and bruxism in humans. This study was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines under the code CRD42020188862, and the searches were performed on the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, LILACS, OpenGrey, and Google Scholar. This systematic review evaluated observational studies in adult humans with and without stress to verify the association between bruxism and the presence of stress. The risk of bias was evaluated through the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. In quantitative analysis, the Odds Ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated through a fixed-effect model. Furthermore, a summary of the overall strength of evidence was presented using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). A total of 1,458 studies were identified, and six were included in this systematic review. Two studies included were classified with a low risk of bias, and the others were classified with a moderate risk of bias. In three articles, a meta-analysis was performed and showed an association between these two factors (OR 2.07 [1.51, 2.83], p < 0.00001, I2 = 45%). Besides that, a low certainty of the evidence was detected among this association. Stressed individuals show a higher chance of presenting bruxism when compared to healthy individuals. Despite the low heterogeneity found in the quantitative analysis among the articles reporting an association between stress and bruxism, further studies with similar methods are necessary to understand this relationship better.

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Prevalence and incidence of dry eye in the USA: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056203 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. e056203

Author(s):

Paul McCann ◽

Alison G Abraham ◽

Darren G Gregory ◽

Scott Hauswirth ◽

Cristos Ifantides ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Dry Eye ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Visual Disturbance ◽

Study Data ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hand Search ◽

Incidence Studies ◽

The Usa

IntroductionDry eye is a multifactorial chronic condition characterised by tear film insufficiency and instability, and ocular symptoms including foreign body sensation, itching, irritation, soreness and visual disturbance. The prevalence and incidence of dry eye are major determinants of the magnitude of economic and societal costs of the disease. This protocol proposes a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and incidence of dry eye in the USA.Methods and analysisWorking with an information specialist, we will develop search strategies for Ovid Medline and Embase for population-based cross-sectional and cohort studies involving US-based populations that report the prevalence and/or incidence of dry eye. We will include studies involving persons of all ages from 1 January 2010 to the current date with no language restrictions. We will also hand-search references of included studies, dry eye epidemiology-related systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines and literature provided by agencies and organisations. Two investigators will independently screen the titles and abstracts, and then full-text reports to determine eligibility. One investigator will extract study data and perform risk of bias assessments using tools designed specifically for prevalence and incidence studies. A second investigator will verify all extracted study data and risk of bias assessments. We will assess heterogeneity, qualitatively and quantitatively. When appropriate, we will meta-analyse prevalence and incidence estimates.Ethics and disseminationThis review does not require approval by an ethics committee because it will use published studies. We will publish our results in a peer-reviewed journal and present at relevant conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021256934.

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O-195 The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on psychological distress due to the cancellation of ART. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Human Reproduction ◽

10.1093/humrep/deab128.006 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Z Donarelli ◽

G Lo Coco ◽

S Gullo ◽

V Oieni ◽

A Volpes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Infertile Couples ◽

The Impact ◽

Infertile Patients

Abstract Study question Is there evidence that infertile patients have been more likely to experience distress during the COVID-19 outbreak with the consequent interruption of treatment plans? Summary answer High levels of psychological distress among infertile patients have been found during the COVID-19 pandemic, greater than that reported in the general population. What is known already Preliminary research on the negative consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak on mental health evidenced heightened levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress in some clinical populations as well as in community samples. However, little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on psychological distress of infertile patients who have been forced to suspend infertility treatment and postpone parenthood goals during the pandemic. The aim of this meta-analytic review is to summarize extant literature on the prevalence of psychological distress symptoms in infertile patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design, size, duration A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines on PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, MedRxiv from March 2020 to mid-December 2020. Study inclusion criteria were specified according to the PICOS guideline. All naturalistic or RCT studies published in 2020 that examined infertility as the primary diagnosis and had a quantitative measurement of distress, were eligible. The primary outcomes were symptoms of psychological distress and secondary outcomes were indicators of psychological health. Participants/materials, setting, methods The database search identified 144 papers. Two reviewers independently screened potential studies by title and abstracts based on the inclusion criteria. The full texts were then screened for eligibility. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to judge the methodological quality of the studies. In order to estimate the pooled prevalence of distress, Odds Ratios with 95% Confidence Interval were calculated as the effect size by using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was tested using I2 statistics. Main results and the role of chance Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were summarized for the systematic review (N = 6473). Only six studies did not include males although, in the surveys, females made up 92% of the total sample. Ten studies adopted a cross-sectional study design. 100% gathered data through an online survey. Nine studies showed a high risk of bias, and five had a moderate risk. Review results showed that 56,4% of patients wished to resume treatment; participants were mostly worried about the delay in treatment because of their age (>35 years) or diminished ovarian reserve, or money constraints and low education level. Only five studies examined the role of protective factors such as social support, coping, optimism trait and intolerance of uncertainty. Nine studies were included for meta-analysis. The prevalence of psychological distress was 0.58 (95% CI 0.32÷0.84). The pooled point estimates of prevalence for anxiety (N = 6) were 0.56 (95% CI 0.24÷0.88), whereas the prevalence for depression (N = 5) was 0.46 (95% CI 0.15÷0.77). There was significant heterogeneity among studies to estimate the prevalence (I² ranging from 99% to 100%). Limitations, reasons for caution Results are preliminary, given the small number of studies and their cross-sectional data. The risk of bias was high or moderate across studies. Wider implications of the findings Infertile couples reported high levels of distress due to cancellation of their diagnostic procedures or treatment; they would benefit from information, appropriate support and advice from healthcare professionals, with an important role in maintaining the wishes of infertile couples to continue their parenthood goals. Trial registration number not applicable

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