The Association between Statins Intake and Risk of Post Stroke Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

AIM: This research aimed to examine the relationship between the intake of statins and the risk of post-stroke pneumonia in a systematic review and meta-analysis study. METHODS: An extensive search of published articles on March 21st , 2023, was done in several databases, like Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) checklist was employed to evaluate the quality of observational studies. Statistical tests (Chi-square test and I2 ) and graphical techniques (Forest plot) were used to determine whether heterogeneity existed in the meta-analysis studies. Funnel plots and Begg and Egger's tests were used to assess the publication bias. RESULTS: Seven studies (5 cohort and 2 case-control studies) were retrieved to examine the association between statins and post-stroke pneumonia. The sample size of the studies compiled in the meta-analysis was obtained to be 68,966 participants. Meta-analysis demonstrated that the overall odds of post-stroke pneumonia in the statin group was equal to 0.87 (95% CI: 0.67 - 1.13; p-value 0.458). Subgroup analysis indicated that the odds of post-stroke pneumonia in the statin group was equal to 0.93 (95% CI: 0.73-1.18; p-value=0.558) in the cohort studies, and equal to 0.92 (95% CI: 0.37-2.26; p-value=0.857) in the case-control studies. The examination of the association between the intake of statins and post-stroke pneumonia showed no evidence of publication bias (Begg's test, p-value = 0.368; Eggers test, p-value = 0.282). CONCLUSION: In this study, no relationship has been observed between receiving statins and the risk of post-stroke pneumonia.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Role of Statins in the Prevention of Mortality Following Pancreatic Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a type of cancer with a high incidence and case-fatality rate. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the role of statins in preventing mortality following PC based on scientific evidence with systematic review and meta-analysis method. METHODS: This meta-analysis considered studies published from 1980 till the end of 2022 in ISI Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Embase databases. Funnel diagrams and Begg's and Egger's tests were used to assess the publication bias. RESULTS: In general, this meta-analysis has included 19 studies (13 cohort studies, 4 case-control, and 2 randomized clinical trials (RCTs)) and a total of 100,888 patients with PC. The risk of mortality of PC in statin users in total was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80 - 0.92, P-value <0.001); in the case-control studies, it was equal to 0.53 (0.34-0.83); in the cohort studies, it was equal to 0.87 (0.82-0.92, P-value <0.001); in RCTs, it was equal to 1.19 (0.99-1.42, P-value <0.001); in studies with good quality score category, it was equal to 0.92 (0.86-0.99, P-value <0.001), and in articles of the moderate quality score category, it was equal to 0.73 (0.64-0.84, P-value <0.001). The results of statistical tests indicated the existence of publication bias (Begg's test (P-value = 0.002) and Egger's test (P-value = 0.004)). CONCLUSION: Statins reduce the risk of mortality in patients with PC. However, no significant relation has been observed in RCTs. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious in interpreting the results.

Medication Errors among Iranian Intensive Care Nurses: A Systematic Review.

Background: Medication Error (ME) is a major patient safety concern in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Critical care nurses play a crucial role in the safe administration of medication. This study was conducted to comprehensively review the literature concerning the prevalence of ME and associated factors and outcomes in Iranian ICU nurses. Materials and Methods: An extensive search of the literature was carried in international databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, as well as Persian databases such as Magiran and Scientific Information Database (SID) using ME-related keywords and the Persian equivalent of these keywords, from the first article written in this field to artcles published on March 30, 2021. The appraisal tool (AXIS tool) was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: Fifteen studies were included in this systematic review. The prevalence of MEs made by ICU nurses was 53.34%. The most common types of MEs were wrong infusion rate (14.12%), unauthorized medication (11.76%), and wrong time (8.49%) errors, respectively. MEs occurred more frequently in morning work shifts (44.44%). MEs happened more frequently for heparin, vancomycin, ranitidine, and amikacin. The most important influential factor in the occurrence of MEs in ICUs was management and human factors. Conclusions: The prevalence of MEs made by Iranian ICU nurses is high. Therefore, nurse managers and policymakers should develop appropriate strategies, including training programs, to reduce the occurrence of MEs made by nurses in ICUs.

The Role of Vitamin D in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Risk and Supplementation Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a debilitating neuropathy that accompanies pain and other physical limitations and disrupts the normal functioning of the victims' lives. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate Vitamin D's preventive and therapeutic effects on the occurrence and remission of CTS symptoms. METHODS: In this systematic review the PRISMA statement has been designed primarily. An extensive search was undertaken in various databases, including PubMed, Cochrane library, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus. After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, finally, 19 articles were retrieved. The raw data were extracted and entered into an Excel form, and the study outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: The main symptoms and tests, including functional score, nerve conduction, and pain, were improved after Vitamin D supplementation in CTS patients. However, they revealed worse scores in people with low Vitamin D levels. In addition, the scores of mentioned indices were worsened in people with lower serum Vitamin D levels. Nevertheless, some studies did not find a significant relationship between low serum 25(OH)D and more significant pain scores in CTS patients. In addition, Vitamin D inserts its effects on CTS by regulating cell proliferation, nerve growth factor, suppression of oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, and improvement in cartilage and microvascular damage. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation can improve the symptoms in CTS patients, and low serum 25(OH)D can aggravate the symptoms of the disease and could be a risk factor for its occurrence. However, more observational studies and clinical trials are needed.