BackgroundNowadays, the total number of couples visiting an infertility clinic is on the rise. Tobacco smoking is considered one of the major factors leading to male infertility. In this study, we aimed to systematically investigate the impact of tobacco smoking on semen quality in infertile male participants.MethodsOnline databases (Cochrane Central database of Randomized Controlled Trials and the databases of MEDLINE and EMBASE respectively) were searched for relevant English publications that satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this analysis. The clinical endpoints which were assessed included semen parameters (oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and azoospermia), morphological defects of spermatozoa and the hormones involved in reproduction. RevMan 5.3 software was used to analyze the data whereby mean difference (MD) and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were generated to represent the results.ResultsSixteen studies with a total number of 10,823 infertile male participants (5257 smokers and 5566 non-smokers) were included. Results of this analysis showed oligozoospermia to be significantly higher in smokers (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05–1.59; P = 0.02). Morphological defect of spermatozoa (MD: 2.44, 95% CI: 0.99–3.89; P = 0.001) was also significantly higher in smokers whereby significant head (MD: 1.76, 95% CI: 0.32–3.20; P = 0.02), neck (MD: 1.97, 95% CI: 0.75–3.18; P = 0.002) and tail (MD: 1.29, 95% CI: 0.35–2.22; P = 0.007) defects were observed. However, smoking did not affected the pH (MD: 0.04, 95% CI: [− 0.03–0.11]; P = 0.30) and motility (RR: 1.42, 95% CI: 0.97–2.09; P = 0.07) of spermatozoa. Additionally, tobacco smoking did not cause any dis-balance in hormones which were involved in reproduction.ConclusionsIn conclusion, with reference to the clinical endpoints which were studied in this analysis, tobacco smoking was associated with a lower sperm count and an increase in the number of morphological defects of spermatozoa. However, the pH and motility of spermatozoa as well as the production of hormones which were involved in reproduction were not affected in this population of infertile males.

From the year 1986 onwards, several studies have been published focusing on the comparison between fibrinolysis and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in patients with ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, because antiplatelet and anticoagulating medications are used in approximation, before and during these procedures, bleeding events have been reported to be associated with both reperfusion therapies. This study aimed to compare the bleeding events associated with fibrinolytic therapy and primary angioplasty in patients with STEMI. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing fibrinolysis and primary angioplasty in patients with STEMI were searched from Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases. Bleeding complications following 30 days from hospitalization were considered as the primary clinical endpoints in this study. Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality, re-infarction, stroke, and shock. Antiplatelet and anticoagulating drugs used during these 2 different procedures were compared. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and the pooled analyses were performed with RevMan 5.3 software. Twelve studies involving 10 RCTs consisting of a total number of 5561 patients (2784 patients from the fibrinolysis group and 2777 patients from the PPCI group) were included in this meta-analysis. Our results showed no significant difference in the overall bleeding complications during a 30-day period between these 2 reperfusion therapies with OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.89 to 1.17, P = 0.78. Nonintracranial bleeding was also not statistically significant with OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.70 to 1.04, P = 0.12. However, fibrinolytic therapy was associated with a significantly higher rate of intracranial bleeding with OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.50, P = 0.001 than PPCI. In addition, death, re-infarction, and stroke significantly favored primary angioplasty. According to the results of this study, even if the rate of nonintracranial bleeding was not statistically significant between these 2 reperfusion therapies, fibrinolytic therapy was associated with a significantly higher rate of intracranial bleeding than PPCI. In addition, PPCI was associated with a significantly lower rate of death, reinfarction, and stroke. Therefore, PPCI should be recommended in patients with STEMI, especially in PCI-capable hospitals.

BackgroundVildagliptin and pioglitazone/rosiglitazone are emerging Oral Hypoglycemic Agents (OHAs) which are used to treat patients suffering from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). In this analysis, we aimed to systematically compare the adverse drug events which were observed with the use of vildagliptin versus pioglitazone or rosiglitazone respectively.MethodsOnline databases were searched for studies comparing vildagliptin with pioglitazone/rosiglitazone. Adverse drug events were considered as the clinical endpoints in this analysis. We calculated Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) using the RevMan 5.3 software. All the authors had full access to the data which were used and approved the final version of the manuscript.ResultsA total number of 2396 patients were analyzed (1486 and 910 patients were treated with vildagliptin and pioglitazone/rosiglitazone respectively). Vildagliptin and pioglitazone/rosiglitazone were both associated with similar overall adverse drug events (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.81–1.24; P = 1.00). Headache (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.60–1.27; P = 0.49) and upper respiratory tract infection (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.71–1.27; P = 0.75) were similarly observed. However, dizziness was significantly lower with pioglitazone/rosiglitazone (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43–0.92; P = 0.02).Back pain, diarrhea and nausea were insignificantly lower with pioglitazone/rosiglitazone (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.49–1.33; P = 0.40), (OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.48–1.44; P = 0.52) and (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.25–1.05; P = 0.07) respectively, whereas peripheral edema and weight gain were insignificantly higher (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.56–2.62; P = 0.63) and (OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 0.51–10.34; P = 0.28) respectively.Nevertheless, when pioglitazone and rosiglitazone were separately compared with vildagliptin, peripheral edema and weight gain were significantly higher with rosiglitazone (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.40–3.99; P = 0.001) and (OR: 5.20, 95% CI: 2.47–10.92; P = 0.0001) respectively.ConclusionBoth vildagliptin and pioglitazone/rosiglitazone are acceptable for the treatment of patients with T2DM on the basis that they are not significantly different in terms of overall adverse drug events. However, weight gain and peripheral edema would have to be re-assessed in further larger randomized controlled trials.

BackgroundNowadays, canagliflozin monotherapy, or in combination with other oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs), is often administered in patients who are treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, we aimed to systematically compare the adverse drugs events (AEs) which were associated with 100 mg versus 300 mg canagliflozin respectively, using a large number of randomized patients with T2DM which were obtained from published trials.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing 100 mg versus 300 mg canagliflozin in patients who were treated for T2DM were searched from electronic databases. AEs reported during a follow up period ranging from 12 to 104 weeks were considered as the clinical endpoints in this analysis. We calculated odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and the analyses were carried out by RevMan 5 · 3 software.ResultsTen trials involving a total number of 5394 patients (2604 patients who were treated with 100 mg canagliflozin and 2790 patients who were treated with 300 mg canagliflozin) were included. The current results showed that serious AEs were not significantly higher in patients who were treated by 300 mg canagliflozin, with OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.79–1.29; P = 0.93. Also, a similar rate of death was observed in patients who were treated by either 100 or 300 mg canagliflozin with OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.43–2.94; P = 0.80. Urinary tract infections, postural dizziness and hypoglycemia were also similarly manifested, with OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.70–1.23; P = 0.61, OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 0.42–5.37; P = 0.53 and OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.81–1.13; P = 0.60 respectively. However, drug discontinuation due to AEs significantly favored 100 mg canagliflozin only during this unequal follow-up period with OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06–1.72; P = 0.01, but it was not significantly different when trials with similar follow-up periods were analyzed.Conclusion300 mg canagliflozin was not associated with significantly higher adverse events compared to 100 mg canagliflozin in those patients who were treated for T2DM. However, because this result was partly affected by other anti-diabetic medications which were included in the treatment regimen, further studies based on patients who were treated strictly on canagliflozin monotherapy should be recommended to completely solve this issue.