Administration of macrolide antibiotics increases cardiovascular risk

Figures

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  FIGURE 1. RR of VA or SCD and CVD death in patients using macrolides. Compared with no macrolides, macrolides were associated with higher VA or SCD (RR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.34–1.76) and CVD death (RR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.14–1.58). Squares represent mean values, with the size of the squares indicating weight and horizontal lines representing 95% CIs. The diamond represents the pooled mean with the points of the diamond representing 95% CIs. RR, relative risk; CI, confidence interval; VA or SCD, ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death; CVD, cardiovascular disease.

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  FIGURE 2. RR of all-cause death in patients using macrolides. Squares represent mean values, with the size of the squares indicating weight and horizontal lines representing 95% CIs. The diamond represents the pooled mean with the points of the diamond representing 95% CIs. RR, relative risk; CI, confidence interval.

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  FIGURE 3. RR of VA or SCD and CVD death in individual drug subgroup analysis. The risk of VA or SCD was increased with azithromycin (RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.17-2.27) and clarithromycin (RR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.07-2.16). The risk of CVD death was increased with azithromycin (RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.17-2.27). Squares represent mean values, with the size of the squares indicating weight and horizontal lines representing 95% CIs. The diamond represents the pooled mean with the points of the diamond representing 95% CIs. RR, relative risk; CI, confidence interval; VA or SCD, ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death; CVD, cardiovascular disease.

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  FIGURE 4. RR of VA or SCD and CVD death in timing of macrolides use subgroup analysis. The risk of VA or SCD was increased with recent (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.09-1.65) and current (RR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.48-1.99) use of macrolides. The risk of CVD death was increased with current (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02-1.32) use of macrolides. Squares represent mean values, with the size of the squares indicating weight and horizontal lines representing 95% CIs. The diamond represents the pooled mean with the points of the diamond representing 95% CIs. RR, relative risk; CI, confidence interval. VA or SCD, ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death; CVD, cardiovascular disease. Current referred to the patient’s current use of macrolides, recent was defined as use of macrolides within one month, and former involved the use of macrolides within one year.