ABSTRACT
Pneumonia is one of the most prevalent medical complications post-stroke. It can have negative impacts on the prognosis of stroke patients. This study aimed to determine the predictors of pneumonia in stroke patients. The authors devised, reviewed, and enhanced the search strategy in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were gathered from various electronic databases, including Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science, from January 1st, 2011, to February 25th, 2024. The review encompassed studies involving patients aged 18 years and older who were hospitalized for acute stroke care. Inclusion criteria required patients to have received a clinical diagnosis of stroke, confirmed via medical imaging (CT or MRI), hospital primary diagnosis International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision discharge codes, or pathology reporting. A total of 35 studies met the criteria and were included in our pooled analysis. Among them, 23 adopted a retrospective design, while the remaining 12 were prospective. The pooled incidence of pneumonia among patients with stroke was found to be 14% (95% confidence interval = 13%-15%). The pooled analysis reported that advancing age, male gender, a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the presence of a nasogastric tube, atrial fibrillation, mechanical ventilation, stroke severity, dysphagia, and a history of diabetes were identified as significant risk factors for pneumonia development among stroke patients. Our results underscore the importance of proactive identification and management of these factors to mitigate the risk of pneumonia in stroke patients.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the safety and efficacy of warfarin plus aspirin versus warfarin monotherapy in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). The present meta-analysis was conducted using the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Two authors systematically searched online databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to December 31, 2023. Outcomes assessed in this meta-analysis included any thrombotic event, bleeding events, and all-cause mortality. A total of five articles were included in the meta-analysis, enrolling a pooled sample size of 876 patients, including 405 in the warfarin monotherapy group and 471 in the warfarin plus aspirin group. Pooled analysis showed that the risk of thrombotic events was not significantly different between the two groups (risk ratio (RR): 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15-1.37). The risk of bleeding events was significantly lower in patients receiving warfarin alone compared to patients receiving aspirin plus warfarin (RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.53-0.85). The risk of all-cause mortality was not significantly different between patients receiving warfarin alone and patients receiving aspirin plus warfarin (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.65-1.30). Despite the potential benefits of discontinuing aspirin, the decision should be approached cautiously, considering the undefined risks of discontinuing anticoagulation in LVAD patients.
