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 2^1st, 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.