Melina Ramezanpour

Introduction: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment in the world. Statins, primarily through their lipid-lowering effects, have been suggested to play a potential role in influencing the incidence of glaucoma. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the relationship between statins and the risk of developing glaucoma. Materials and Methods: This investigation adhered to PRISMA guidelines and employed systematic review and meta-analysis methodologies. The databases Cochrane, ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, and the search engine Google Scholar were searched up to March 4, 2024. STATA 14 software was used to analyze the data, and statistical significance was determined at P<0.05. Results: The findings indicated no statistically significant association between statin consumption and the incidence of glaucoma overall (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.02). The lack of statistical significance persisted across different study designs, including case-control research (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.02), cross-sectional studies (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.19), and cohort studies (OR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.06). Furthermore, the association between specific statins, including simvastatin (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.10), lovastatin (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.03), pravastatin (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.15), fluvastatin (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.28), atorvastatin (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.15), and rosuvastatin (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.11), and the incidence of glaucoma was not statistically significant. However, a reduced risk of glaucoma was observed among individuals aged 60 to 69 years (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.97) and in specific geographical regions, notably the United States (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.96) and the Netherlands (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.82). Conclusion: Statin consumption in individuals aged 60-69 years and in the United States and the Netherlands reduced the risk of developing glaucoma. Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024521496) and Research Registry (UIN: reviewregistry1909) website.

Introduction: Hypertension is considered a significant and highly prevalent public health problem. Due to the wide application of the medicinal herb Nigella sativa in managing this condition, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of N. sativa consumption on reducing blood pressure (BP) levels using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. Materials and Methods: Multiple online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, and the Google Scholar search engine, were searched using standard keywords to identify relevant articles up to May 9, 2022. Data were analyzed using STATA 14 software, and the significance level was taken as P<0.05 for all tests. Results: From the total of 12 reviewed studies with a sample size of 854, the consumption of N. sativa powder (SMD: -0.46; 95% CI: -0.63, -0.30) and N. sativa oil (SMD: -2.04; 95% CI: -2.75, -1.34) lowered the systolic BP (SBP) levels. The consumption of N. sativa powder (SMD: -0.45; 95% CI: -0.63, -0.28) and N. sativa oil (SMD: -2.31; 95% CI: -3.05, -1.57) altered the diastolic BP (DBP) level. Then, the standard effect sizes of N. sativa consumption on triglyceride (SMD: -0.14; 95% CI: -0.29, 0), LDL-C (SMD: -0.35; 95% CI: -0.54, -0.17), HDL-C (SMD: 0.01; 95% CI: -0.14, 0.16) and FBS (SMD: -0.36; 95% CI: -0.58, -0.15) levels were measured. Conclusion: Nigella sativa consumption showed a higher impact on reducing SBP than DBP levels. In addition, the consumption of N. sativa oil was more effective in lowering BP levels than N. sativa powder. Hence, further research is suggested to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of N. sativa oil and powder. Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website (ID: CRD42022336951).

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease with numerous side effects. Since long ago, the impact of fish consumption on treating this disease has been of researchers’ interest. Hence, this study aims to examine the relationship between fish consumption and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis through a systematic review and a meta-analysis method. Materials and Methods: For this meta-analysis to reach the research related to the case study, the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and the Google Scholar search engine were conducted. The data were analyzed using the STATA 14, and the significance level of the tests was P<0.05. Results: There were 2166980 people (20218 cases and 2146762 controls) in this case study, and the age range of the patients was between 18 and 89 years. The studies were published between 1991 and 2022 and estimated the odds ratio (OR) of fish consumption and rheumatoid arthritis as (OR=0.83; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.89). This measure was (OR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.87) in six case-control studies and (OR=0.86; 95% CI: 0.78, 0.94) in 7 cohort studies. In addition, the effect of fish consumption on reducing the rheumatoid arthritis development was more in people who had consumed fish 2 or less than 2 times a week compared to people who consumed fish more than 2 times every week. Conclusion: Fish consumption reduces the rheumatoid arthritis extension; therefore, these patients are advised to include fish in their diet.

Introduction: Stomach cancer is among five common malignancies whose prevalence and incidence are considerably associated with our dietary regime. Thus, the present study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between coffee drinking and the risk of stomach cancer. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search of the databases, including Barakat Knowledge Network System, Cochrane, IranDoc, Web of Science, PubMed, SID, Magiran, Scopus, and Google Scholar web browser was conducted using standard keywords. Data analysis of this meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 14 software and P<0.05 was considered as a significant level for tests. Results: A total of 24 studies with a sample size of 990605 were reviewed which showed drinking coffee prevents stomach cancer [OR=0.89, (95% CI: 0.82, 0.98]. However, subgroup analysis by gender found no significant statistical relationship between coffee consumption and stomach cancer risk regarding male or female gender. However, the statistically significant relationship between coffee drinking and stomach cancer risk was assessed in several countries, including Korea, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Singapore, with the largest effect being reported in Turkey [OR=0.51 (95% CI: 0.39,0.67]. Conclusion: Coffee consumption prevents and reduces the risk of developing stomach cancer.

Introduction: Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to the insufficient production of erythropoietin by the kidneys. The administration of erythropoietin is one of the most common methods for the treatment of patients with anemia. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the administration of synthetic erythropoietin on hemoglobin levels in dialysis patients using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In order to identify the related studies, the international databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase were searched from 2015 to 2020 using standard and valid keywords. The data were analyzed using STATA software (version 14), and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In 12 reviewed articles with a sample size of 4,060 individuals, the standard effect size of the effect of synthetic erythropoietin on Hb in dialysis patients was reported as 2.08 (95% CI: 1.53-2.63), which was statistically significant; however, erythropoietin biosimilars did not show similar results. Conclusion: The administration of erythropoietin to hemodialysis patients increases Hb levels by more than 2 units.