Association of macrolides with overall mortality and cardiac death among patients with various infections: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: A large body of evidences suggested that macrolide therapy could improve the survival of patients with various infections. While in the same time, macrolides are known to increase fatal arrhythmogenic risks and cause cardiac death. To assess the risks and benefits of macrolide therapy, we systematically reviewed all studies of macrolide use, cardiac death and mortality among patients with various infections.

Methods: We searched Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane library and reviewed reference lists from 1980 through April 2015. Studies were included if they compared macrolides to other antibiotics in adults with various infections. The outcome measures were the overall mortality and the risk of cardiac death.

Results: Overall, macrolide use was associated with a statistically significant mortality reduction compared with nonmacrolide use (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.92). There was no difference in the risk of cardiac death between macrolide and nonmacrolide regimes (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 0.86-2.40). In subgroup analyses, macrolide use was found to be associated with the decreased risk of mortality in a population of older individuals (age>48 years, OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.66-0.72). While in a general population of young and middle-aged adults, the use of macrolide-based regimens could not decrease the risk of death from any cause (age<48 years, OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.02-11.01). As for cardiac death, macrolide use was found to be associated with increased risk of cardiac death in a population of older individuals (age>48 years, OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.53-2.59).

Conclusion: Despite the potential cardiotoxic effects, there is a net benefit associated with macrolide use in older patients with various infections and macrolide use except roxithromycin was found to be associated with increased risk of cardiac death in a population of adults aged > 48 years.

Keywords: Cardiac death; Infection; Macrolides; Meta-analysis; Mortality.