PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) in Teachers: A Mini Meta-Analysis during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Since March 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to stop the spread of the virus, unprecedented measures were taken worldwide. One of the most important measures was the closure of schools and educational centers around the world in 2020, and very extreme health protocols have been in place in educational centers since they were reopened. From early childhood education to universities, teachers first had to adapt in a short period time to online classes and then continuously readapt to new protocols according to the pandemic situation. This academic environment, in addition to the pandemic situation itself, has favored the emergence of mental disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medline via PubMed and other databases were searched for studies on the prevalence of PTSD in teachers from 1 December 2019 to 1 October 2022. A total of five studies were included in this review. Our results show a prevalence of PTSD of 11% reported by teachers. No subgroups nor meta-regression analyses were performed due to the insufficient number of studies available. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that teachers are suffering from PTSD, so it is important to carry out more studies worldwide. Similarly, measures to improve the mental health and well-being of teachers during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods are needed.

Does depression increase the risk of dementia? Updated meta-analysis of prospective studies.

BACKGROUND: Our primary aim was to conduct an update meta-analysis of prospective studies investigating the association between depression and dementia risk. METHODS: We searched Pubmed database to identify all relevant papers published from January 2014 to March 2019. Prospective studies with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year, baseline depression assessment, absence of dementia or mild cognitive impairment at baseline were selected. We calculated pooled relative risks (RR), with a random effect model, as well as compute population attributable fraction (PAF) of dementia due to depression. RESULTS: Eight cohorts were included. A statistically significant association between depression and dementia risk, with a pooled RR of 1.63 (95% CI: 1.30-2.04), and a PAF of 9.0% (95% CI: 4.5%-14.1%), were found. CONCLUSIONS: Depression is associated with an increased risk of dementia in this meta-analysis.

Does Anxiety Increase the Risk of All-Cause Dementia? An Updated Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Background: Anxiety has been suggested as a potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia, but results are still controversial. Our main objectives are to develop an updated meta-analysis of prospective population-based studies on the relationship between anxiety and risk of dementia, and to estimate the population fraction of dementia attributable to anxiety (PAF). Methods: We searched for cohort studies listed on PubMed or Web of Science from January 2018 to January 2020 that reported risk estimates for the association between anxiety and incident dementia. These were added to cohort studies published before January 2018 that were used in a previously published meta-analysis. Fully adjusted RRs were pooled using random effects models. We estimated the proportion of incident dementia attributable to anxiety by using PAF. Results: The meta-analysis included nine prospective cohorts from eight studies, representing 29,608 participants. The overall relative risk (RR) of dementia was 1.24 (95% CI: 1.06-1.46) and the PAF of dementia due to anxiety was 3.9%. Conclusions: Anxiety is significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia. The treatment or prevention of anxiety might help to reduce dementia incidence rates, but more research is needed to clarify whether anxiety is a cause of dementia rather than a prodrome.

Association between Anxiety and Vascular Dementia Risk: New Evidence and an Updated Meta-Analysis.

The association between anxiety and vascular dementia (VaD) is unclear. We aimed to reliably estimate the association between anxiety and VaD risk using meta-analysis to pool new results from a large community-based cohort (Zaragoza Dementia and Depression (ZARADEMP) study) and results from previous studies. ZARADEMP participants (n = 4057) free of dementia were followed up on for up to 12 years. Cases and subcases of anxiety were determined at baseline. A panel of four psychiatrists diagnosed incident cases of VaD by consensus. We searched for similar studies published up to October 2019 using PubMed and Web of Science. Observational studies reporting associations between anxiety and VaD risk, and adjusting at least for age, were selected. Odds ratios (ORs) from each study were combined using fixed-effects models. In the ZARADEMP study, the risk of VaD was 1.41 times higher among individuals with anxiety (95% CI: 0.75-2.68) compared with non-cases (p = 0.288). Pooling this result with results from two previous studies yielded an OR of 1.65 (95% CI: 1.07-2.53; p = 0.022). These findings indicate that anxiety is associated with an increased risk of VaD. Taking into account that anxiety is commonly observed in the elderly, treating and preventing it might reduce the prevalence and incidence of VaD. However, whether anxiety is a cause of a prodrome of VaD is still unknown, and future research is needed to clarify this.

Anxiety and Risk of Vascular Dementia in an Elderly Community Sample: The Role of Sex.

Background: To assess the association between anxiety and risk of vascular dementia (VaD), as well as potential sex differences, in a community-based cohort. Methods: A random sample of 4057 dementia-free community participants aged 55 or older, from the longitudinal, community-based Zaragoza Dementia and Depression Project (ZARADEMP) study were followed for 4.5 years. Geriatric Mental State B (GMS)-Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy (AGECAT) was used for the assessment and diagnosis of anxiety, and a panel of research psychiatrists diagnosed the incident cases of VaD according to DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disordes). Multivariate survival analysis with competing risk regression model was performed. Results: In men, the incidence rate of VaD was significantly higher among anxiety subjects compared with non-anxiety subjects (incidence rate ratio (IRR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 3.24 (1.13-9.35); p = 0.029), and no difference was observed in women (IRR (95%CI): 0.68 (0.19-2.23); p = 0.168). In the multivariate model, for men, cases of anxiety had 2.6-fold higher risk of VaD (subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR): 2.61; 95%CI: 0.88-7.74) when all potential confounding factors were controlled, with no statistical significance (p = 0.084), but a clinically relevant effect (Cohen's d: 0.74). No association was found in women. Conclusions: In men, but not in women, risk of VaD was higher among individuals with anxiety, with a clinically relevant effect. Potential anxiety-related preventive interventions for VaD might be tailored to men and women separately.

Anxiety and risk of dementia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is postulated to be modifiable risk factor for dementia. Our primary aim was to conduct a meta-analysis of community-based cohort studies that investigated the association between anxiety and dementia. DESIGN: We identified relevant, high-quality papers published up to January 2018 by searching PubMed and Web of Science. Prospective cohort studies reporting relative risks (RRs) for the association between anxiety and dementia, adjusted at least for age, were considered eligible. Study-specific RRs were combined using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Six prospective cohorts (reported in 5 studies), with a total of 10,394 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled RR of 1.29 (95% CI: 1.01-1.66) indicated a significant association between anxiety and dementia. CONCLUSION: Anxiety significantly increases the risk of dementia. However, further research is needed to determine the extent to which anxiety is a cause of dementia rather than a prodrome or marker.