Evidence Hub

Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors use and the risk of alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abouelmagd ME, Abdelmeseh M, Elrosasy A, Saad YH, Alnajjar AZ, Eid M, Hassan A, Abbas A

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2024

8,337,313 participants · 14 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The management of Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses considerable challenges, necessitating the pursuit of innovative therapeutic approaches. Recent research has spotlighted the promising role of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) in reducing the prevalence of AD, utilizing their vasodilatory properties to suggest a potential neuroprotective effect. This meta-analysis and systematic review aims to assess the relationship between the use of PDE5Is and the risk of AD.

METHODS: A detailed examination was carried out across several electronic databases till March 2024, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Embase. The focus was on identifying studies that compare the occurrence of AD among PDE5I users vs non-users. Through a random-effects model, pooled hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated, in alignment with guidelines from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the PRISMA standards.

RESULTS: This analysis included six studies, cumulating a participant count of 8,337,313, involving individuals treated with sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil, against a control group undergoing other or no treatments. The cumulative HR for AD risk among PDE5I users versus the control group was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.32-0.86, p = 0.008), signaling a markedly reduced likelihood of AD development in the PDE5I group. Particularly, sildenafil usage showed a significant risk reduction (HR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.31-0.70, p < 0.001), while findings for…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 8,337,313 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free