Exposure to cadmium and head and neck cancers: a meta-analysis of observational studies

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread environmental pollutant. A number of observational studies have reported that Cd might be a cause of nasopharyngeal (NPC), pharyngeal (PC), or laryngeal cancers (LC). In this study evidence about the relation of Cd and NPC, PC, and LC has been summarized. A literature review was conducted until 20 June 2020 in PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science and Google scholar databases to investigate the epidemiologic evidence for the relation between cadmium exposure and cancers of the nasopharynx, pharynx, and larynx. Ten articles were selected after careful screening of retrieved studies. All of these studies obtained a Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) quality score from 6 to 8. Due to high heterogeneity, in all analyses, random effect was used. The pooled results showed that cadmium levels in NPC (standard mean difference (SMD=0.55; 95% CI=0.20, 0.89; p=0.002) and PC (SMD=9.79; 95% CI=0.62, 18.96; p=0.036) patients/tissues were significantly higher than their controls. But cadmium levels were not significantly different between LC cases/tissues and their controls. (SMD=−0.05; 95% CI=−0.99, 0.89; p=0.921). Exposure to cadmium is likely to cause nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal cancer.

Download Full-text

Hypnotics and Risk of Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina56100513 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 56 (10) ◽

pp. 513

Author(s):

Tzu-Rong Peng ◽

Li-Jou Yang ◽

Ta-Wei Wu ◽

You-Chen Chao

Keyword(s):

Observational Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Randomized Control ◽

Hypnotic Drugs ◽

Risk Of Cancer ◽

Ottawa Scale

Background and objectives: The association between hypnotic drugs and risk of cancer remains controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate this association. Materials and Methods: Pubmed and Embase were searched systematically to identify publications up to April 2020. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies was used to assess the quality of studies. All included studies were evaluated by two reviewers independently; any discrepancies were resolved through discussion. Results: Twenty-eight studies including 22 case-control studies and 6 cohort studies with 340,614 hypnotics users and 1,828,057 non-users were included in the final analyses. Hypnotics (benzodiazepines and Z-drugs) use was significantly associated with an increased risk of cancer (odds ratio [OR] or relative risk [RR] 1.17; 95% confidence interval 1.09–1.26) in a random-effects meta-analysis of all studies. Subgroup meta-analysis by anxiolytics/sedatives effect (anxiolytics benzodiazepines vs. sedatives group (include sedatives benzodiazepines and Z-drugs)) revealed that a significant association in sedatives group (pooled OR/RR 1.26, 95% CI, 1.10–1.45), whereas no significant relationship was observed in anxiolytics benzodiazepines (pooled OR/RR 1.09, 95% CI, 0.95–1.26). Moreover, a significant dose–response relationship was observed between the use of hypnotics and the risk of cancer. Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed association between use of hypnotics drugs and risk of cancer. However, the use of lower dose hypnotics and shorter duration exposed to hypnotics seemed to be not associated with an increased risk of cancer. Moreover, the use of anxiolytics effect benzodiazepines seemed to be lower risk than sedatives benzodiazepines. A high heterogeneity was observed among identified studies, and results were inconsistent in some subgroups. Randomized control trials are needed to confirm the findings in the future.

Download Full-text

The relationship between depression and risk of metabolic syndrome: a meta‐analysis of observational studies

Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology ◽

10.1186/s40842-021-00117-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yousef Moradi ◽

Ahmed N Albatineh ◽

Hassan Mahmoodi ◽

Reza Ghanei Gheshlagh

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Total Sample ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Depressed Patients ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Studies ◽

The Relationship ◽

Ottawa Scale

Abstract Introduction The link between metabolic syndrome and depression has always been controversial. Different studies that have examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and depression have reported different results. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to examine the association between depression and MetS by meta-analysis. Methods Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and ISI were searched for publications in English from January 1990 to February 2020. Search included cohort and cross-sectional studies aimed at examining the association between depression and MetS. The risk of bias was assessed by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity and publication bias were tested, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted. Results 49 studies with total sample size 399,494 were analyzed. Results indicated the odds of MetS was higher in depressed compared to non-depressed individuals [OR: 1.48; 95 %CI: 1.33–1.64) vs. (OR: 1.38; 95 %CI: 1.17–1.64)]. For cross-sectional studies, depressed patients in Europe (OR = 1.35; 95 %CI: 1.47–1.99) were at higher odds of MetS compared to those in America and Asia. For cohort studies, depressed patients in America (OR = 1.46; 95 %CI: 1.16–1.84) were at higher odds of MetS than those in Europe. Cross-sectional studies indicated women with depression were at higher odds of MetS (OR = 1.95; 95 %CI: 1.38–2.74) compared to men. In both types of studies, the odds of MetS decreased with age. Conclusions Metabolic syndrome is more common in depressed compared to non-depressed individuals.

Download Full-text

Mortality in chronic kidney disease patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

International Urology and Nephrology ◽

10.1007/s11255-020-02740-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ruyi Cai ◽

Jinshi Zhang ◽

Yifan Zhu ◽

Lin Liu ◽

Yueming Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

Infected People ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Careful Screening ◽

Ottawa Scale

AbstractAt the beginning of 2020, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to a worldwide pandemic and mass panic. The number of infected people has been increasing exponentially since, and the mortality rate has also been concomitantly increasing. At present, no study has summarized the mortality risk of COVID-19 in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to conduct a literature review and meta-analysis to understand the frequency of mortality among CKD patients infected with COVID-19. A comprehensive systematic search was conducted on the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to find articles published until May 15, 2020. Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. After careful screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3,867,367 patients from 12 studies were included. The mortality rate was significantly higher among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection than among CKD patients without COVID-19 infection, as indicated by a pooled OR of 5.81 (95% CI 3.78–8.94, P < 0.00001, I2 = 30%). The patients were then stratified into ≥ 70 and < 70 years, and subgroup analysis revealed that among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection, the mortality rate was higher in the < 70 years group (OR 8.69, 95% CI 7.56–9.97, P < 0.0001) than in the ≥ 70 years group (OR 2.44, 95% CI 0.75–6.63, P = 0.15). Thus, COVID-19 patients with CKD have a high mortality risk and require a comprehensive multidisciplinary management strategy.

Download Full-text

Socioeconomic Factors and Caries in People between 19 and 60 Years of Age: An Update of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15081775 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (8) ◽

pp. 1775 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Simone Costa ◽

Carolina Martins ◽

Mânia Pinto ◽

Mara Vasconcelos ◽

Mauro Abreu

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Socioeconomic Indicators ◽

Effect Model ◽

Statistical Heterogeneity ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Meta Regression ◽

Ottawa Scale

This study is aimed to perform an update of a systematic review and meta-regression to evaluate the effect modification of the socioeconomic indicators on caries in adults. We included studies that associated social determinants with caries, with no restriction of year and language. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias. With regard to the meta-analysis, statistical heterogeneity was evaluated by I2, and the random effect model was used when it was high. A subgroup analysis was conducted for socioeconomic indicators, and a meta-regression was performed. Publication bias was assessed through Egger’s test. Sixty-one studies were included in the systematic review and 25 were included in the meta-analysis. All of the studies were published between 1975 and 2016. The most frequent socioeconomic indicators were schooling, income, and socioeconomic status (SES). In the quantitative analysis, the DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) variation was attributed to the studies’ heterogeneity. The increase of 10.35 units in the proportion of people with lower SES was associated with an increase of one unit in DMFT, p = 0.050. The findings provide evidence that populations with the highest proportions of people with low SES are associated with a greater severity of caries. The results suggest the need for actions to reduce the inequalities in oral health (PROSPERO [CRD42017074434]).

Download Full-text

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with severe COVID-19 adult respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The Cardiothoracic Surgeon ◽

10.1186/s43057-021-00046-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hany Hasan Elsayed ◽

Aly Sherif Hassaballa ◽

Taha Aly Ahmed ◽

Mohammed Gumaa ◽

Hazem Youssef Sharkawy

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Risk Ratio ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Distress Syndrome ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Registration Number ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Venovenous Ecmo ◽

Ottawa Scale

Abstract Background COVID 19 is the most recent cause of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can support gas exchange in patients failing conventional mechanical ventilation, but its role is still controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on ECMO for COVID-associated ARDS to study its outcome. Main body CENTRAL, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were systematically searched from inception to May 28, 2020. Studies reporting five or more patients with COVID-19 infection treated venovenous with ECMO were included. The main outcome assessed was mortality and ICU/hospital discharge. Baseline, procedural, outcome, and validity data were systematically appraised and pooled with random-effect methods. The validity of all the included observational studies was appraised with the Newcastle Ottawa scale. Meta-regression and publication bias were tested. This trial was registered with PROSPERO under registration number CRD42020183861. From 1647 initial citations, 34 full-text articles were analyzed and 12 studies were selected, including 194 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection requiring ICU admission and venovenous ECMO treatment. Median Newcastle-Ottawa scale was 6 indicating acceptable study validity. One hundred thirty-six patients reached an endpoint of weaning from ECMO with ICU/hospital discharge or death while the rest were still on ECMO or in the ICU. The median Berlin score for ARDS prior to starting ECMO was III. Patients received mechanical ventilation before ECMO implementation for a median of 4 days and ECMO was maintained for a median of 13 days. In hospital and short-term mortality were highly variable among the included studies ranging between 0 and 100%. Random-effect pooled estimates suggested an overall in-hospital mortality risk ratio of 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.259 to 0.721; I2 = 94%). Subgroup analysis according to country of origin showed persistent heterogeneity only in the 7 Chinese studies with pooled estimate mortality risk ratio of 0.66 (I2 = 87%) (95% CI = 0.39-0.93), while the later larger studies coming from the USA showed pooled estimate mortality risk ratio of 0.41 (95% CI 0.28-0.53) with homogeneity (p=0.67) similar to France with a pooled mortality risk ratio of 0.26 (95% CI 0.08-0.43) with homogeneity (p=0.86). Meta-regression showed only younger age as a predictor of mortality (p=0.02). Publication bias was excluded by visualizing the funnel plot of standard error, Egger’s test with p=0.566, and Begg and Mazumdar test with p=0.373. Conclusion The study included the largest number of patients with outcome findings of ECMO in this current pandemic. Our findings showed that the use of venovenous ECMO at high-volume ECMO centers may be beneficial for selected COVID 19 patients with severe ARDS. However, none of the included studies involve prospective randomized analyses; and therefore, all the included studies were of low or moderate quality according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. In the current era and environment of the pandemic, it will likely be very challenging to conduct a prospective randomized trial of ECMO versus no-ECMO for COVID-19. Therefore, the information contained in this systematic review of the literature is valuable and provides important guidance. Trial registration The study protocol link is at www.crd.yorl.ac.uk/PROSPERO under registration number CRD42020183861.

Download Full-text

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the safety of Hydroxychloroquine in a randomized controlled trial and observational studies

Current Clinical Pharmacology ◽

10.2174/1574884716666210726104424 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Author(s):

Mahanjit Konwar ◽

Miteshkumar Maurya ◽

Urmila M. Thatte ◽

Nithya J. Gogtay ◽

Debdipta Bose

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Active Treatment ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Safety Data ◽

Total Sample ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

Introduction: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has recently become the focus of attention in the current COVID-19 pandemic. With an increase in the off-label use of HCQ, concern for the safety of HCQ has been raised. We, therefore, performed this systematic review to analyze the safety data of HCQ against placebo and active treatment in various disease conditions. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for Randomized Controlled trials (RCTs) and Observational studies (OSs) that evaluated HCQ for the treatment of any disease other than COVID19 in adult patients up to May 2020. We assessed the quality of the included studies using Risk of Bias 2 (for RCTs) and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (for OSs). Data were analyzed with random-effect meta-analysis. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to identify heterogeneity. Results: A total of 6641 studies were screened, and 49 studies (40 RCTs and 9 OSs) with a total sample size of 35044 patients were included. The use of HCQ was associated with higher risks of TDAEs as compared to placebo/no active treatment [RR 1.47, 95%CI 1.03-2.08]. When HCQ was compared with active treatments, the risks of AEs [RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63-0.86] and TDAEs were less in the HCQ arm [RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.39-0.81]. The outcomes did not differ in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: The results suggest that the use of HCQ was associated with a lower risk of AEs and TDAEs as compared to active treatment, whereas posing higher risk of TDAEs as compared to placebo.

Download Full-text

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with severe COVID-19 adult respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-72963/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hany Hasan Elsayed ◽

Aly Sherif Hassaballa ◽

Taha Aly Ahmed ◽

Mohammed Gumaa ◽

Hazem Youssef Sharkawy

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Risk Ratio ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Distress Syndrome ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Meta Regression ◽

Venovenous Ecmo ◽

Ottawa Scale

Abstract Background: COVID 19 is the most recent cause of Adult respiratory distress syndrome ARDS. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can support gas exchange in patients failing conventional mechanical ventilation, but its role is still controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on ECMO for COVID-associated ARDS to study its outcome.Materials and Methods: CENTRAL, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were systematically searched from inception to May 28, 2020. Studies reporting five or more patients with COVID 19 infection treated venovenous with ECMO were included. The main outcome assessed was mortality. Baseline, procedural, outcome, and validity data were systematically appraised and pooled with random-effect methods. The validity of all the included observational studies was appraised with the Newcastle Ottawa scale. Meta-regression and publication bias were tested. This trial was registered with PROSPERO under registration number CRD42020183861Results: From 1647 initial citations, 34 full text articles were analysed and 12 studies were selected, including 194 patients with confirmed COVID 19 infection requiring ICU admission and venovenous ECMO treatment. Median New Castle Ottawa scale was 6 indicating acceptable study validity. 136 patients reached an endpoint of weaning from ECMO or death while the rest were still on ECMO. The median Berlin score for ARDS prior to starting ECMO was III. Patients received mechanical ventilation before ECMO implementation for a median of four days and ECMO was maintained for a median of 13 days. In hospital and short-term mortality were highly variable among the included studies ranging between 0% and 100%. Random-effect pooled estimates suggested an overall in-hospital mortality risk ratio of 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.259 to 0.721; I2 = 94%). Subgroup analysis according to country of origin showed persistent heterogeneity only in the 7 Chinese studies with pooled estimate mortality risk ratio of 0.66 (I2 = 87%) (95% CI = 0.39-0.93), while the later larger studies coming from the USA showed pooled estimate mortality risk ratio of 0.41 (95% CI 0.28-0.53) with homogeneity (p=0.67) similar to France with a pooled mortality risk ratio of 0.26 (95% CI 0.08-0.43) with homogeneity (p=0.86). Meta-regression showed only younger age as a predictor of mortality (p=0.02). Publication bias was excluded by visualizing the funnel plot of standard error, Egger's test with p=0.566 and Begg&Mazumdar test with p=0.373Conclusion: The study included the largest number of patients with outcome findings of ECMO in this current pandemic. Our findings showed that the use of venovenous ECMO at high-volume ECMO centres may be beneficial for selected COVID 19 patients with severe ARDS. However, none of the included studies involve prospective randomized analyses; and therefore, all the included studies were of low or moderate quality according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. In the current era and environment of the pandemic, it will likely be very challenging to conduct a prospective randomized trial of ECMO versus no-ECMO for COVID-19. Therefore, the information contained in this systematic review of the literature is valuable and provides important guidance.

Download Full-text

Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Older Adults Living at High Altitude: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders ◽

10.1159/000514471 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Diego Urrunaga-Pastor ◽

Diego Chambergo-Michilot ◽

Fernando M. Runzer-Colmenares ◽

Josmel Pacheco-Mendoza ◽

Vicente A. Benites-Zapata

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

High Altitude ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Language Restriction ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Ottawa Scale

Introduction: Dementia is a chronic disease with a variable prevalence throughout the world; however, this could be higher at high-altitude populations. We aimed to summarize the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults living at high altitude. Methods: We searched in PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase and included the studies published from inception to July 20, 2020, with no language restriction, which reported the frequency of cognitive impairment or dementia in older adults living at high-altitude populations. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate the overall prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of cognitive impairment and dementia. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies. Results: Six studies were included (3,724 participants), and 5 of the 6 included studies were carried out in Latin America. The altitude ranged from 1,783 to 3,847 m, the proportion of women included varied from 38.7 to 65.6%, and the proportion of participants with elementary or illiterate educational level ranged from 71.7 to 97.6%. The overall prevalence of cognitive impairment was 22.0% (95% CI: 8–40, I2: 99%), and the overall prevalence of dementia was 11.0% (95% CI: 6–17, I2: 92%). In a subgroup analysis according to the instrument used to evaluate cognitive impairment, the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 21.0% (95% CI: 5–42, I2: 99%) in the MMSE group while the prevalence was 29.0% (95% CI: 0–78) in the non-MMSE group. Conclusions: The prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults living at high altitude is almost twice the number reported in some world regions.

Download Full-text

Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis for preeclampsia, hypertension and prematurity in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A meta-analysis

Lupus ◽

10.1177/09612033211007199 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 096120332110071

Author(s):

Jiaoniu Duan ◽

Dan Ma ◽

Xiaoting Wen ◽

Qianyu Guo ◽

Jinfang Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

English Language ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fetal Outcomes ◽

Pregnancy Hypertension ◽

Cochrane Database ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Prospective Cohorts ◽

Ottawa Scale

Objectives This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of HCQ in improving the maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies with SLE. Methods A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database for relevant English language articles, and Wanfang, CNKI and VIP for Chinese articles, from the databases’ inception to April 30, 2020. These studies compared the maternal and/or fetal outcomes between pregnant patients with SLE who were administered HCQ during pregnancy (HCQ+ group) and those who were not administered HCQ (HCQ− group). Two investigators extracted the data and assessed the quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and GRADE criteria independently. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. All statistical analyses were conducted using the Stata 12.0 software. Results Nine studies involving 1132 pregnancies were included in the study (3 case controls, 2 prospective cohorts, 4 retrospective cohorts). Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and prematurity were significantly lower in the HCQ+ group than in the HCQ− group (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.21–0.59), (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19–0.89) and (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.86), respectively. There were no significant differences in the rates of HELLP Syndrome (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.19–3.96), gestational diabetes (OR 2.3, 95% CI 0.44–12.12), thrombotic events (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.05–1.51), spontaneous abortion (OR 1.77, 95% CI 0.96–3.26), premature rupture of membranes (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.24–1.39), oligohydramnios (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.38–2.14), live birth (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.60–2.47), stillbirth (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.50–2.00), congenital malformation (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.14–2.04), low birth weight (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.43–1.39), intrauterine distress (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.41–2.76,), intrauterine growth restriction (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.06–5.43), or five-minute APGAR score <7 (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.20–2.58) between the two groups. Conclusions HCQ treatment during pregnancy could reduce the risk of preeclampsia, pregnancy hypertension and prematurity in SLE patients. The certainty of evidence is high but majority of the studies included are retrospective studies and not randomized controlled trials. Therefore, the multidisciplinary management of pregnant patients with SLE should promote HCQ use, irrespective of disease activity or severity.

Download Full-text

Safety of Systemic Medications Among Older Adults With Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1177/1203475421993770 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 120347542199377

Author(s):

Evan Tang ◽

Talha Maqbool ◽

Megan Lam ◽

Gaelen P. Adam ◽

Mina Tadrous ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Relative Effect ◽

Emergency Department Visits ◽

Major Cardiovascular Events ◽

Quantitative Synthesis ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Ottawa Scale

Background Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are common among older adults (≥65 years old), but clinical trials often exclude that population. Objective To synthesize evidence from observational studies on the safety of systemic therapies (conventional or biologic) for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis among older adults in a systematic review. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (inception to October 31, 2019) and included observational studies reporting adverse events among older people treated with systemic therapy for psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. Outcomes were death, hospitalization, emergency department visits, infections, major cardiovascular events, renal toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and cytopenias. We assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results We included 22 studies on treatment for psoriasis and 2 for atopic dermatitis. Most studies were small and non-comparative and 20 of 24 were low quality. Studies comparing safety between medications or medication classes or between older and younger adults did not show apparent differences but had wide confidence intervals around relative effect estimates. Heterogeneity of study design and reporting precluded quantitative synthesis. Conclusions There is scant evidence on the safety of conventional systemic and biologic medications for older adults with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis; older adults and their clinicians should be aware of this evidence gap.

Download Full-text