Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25427000›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2014

Beta-blockers reduced the risk of mortality and exacerbation in patients with COPD: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Qingxia Du, Yongchang Sun, Ning Ding, Lijin Lu, Ying Chen

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
70citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
11.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

70 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 178 citations in OpenAlex.

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  15. Metoprolol for the Prevention of Acute Exacerbations of COPD.The New England journal of medicine · 2019
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  17. Article
  18. A Proposed Checklist for Optimizing COPD Patient Discharge Processes in Italian Internal Medicine Wards.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2026
    Review
  19. Review
  20. Appraisal of β-Blocker Use in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions · 2025
    Review

10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Qingxia DuDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Emergency, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
Yongchang SunDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Emergency, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
Ning DingDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Emergency, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
Lijin LuDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Emergency, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
Ying ChenDepartment of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Emergency, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
Beijing Tongren Hospital · CNCapital Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCardiovascular disease is a primary cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Beta-blockers have been proved to reduce morbidity and improve survival in patients with cardiac diseases. But the effects of beta-blockers on outcomes in patients with COPD remain controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the effect of beta-blockers on mortality and exacerbation in patients with COPD.

methodsAn extensive search of the EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane was performed to retrieve the studies of beta-blockers treatment in patients with COPD. The random effects model meta-analysis was used to evaluate effect on overall mortality and exacerbation of COPD.

resultsFifteen original observational cohort studies with a follow-up time from 1 to 7.2 years were included. The results revealed that beta-blockers treatment significantly decreased the risk of overall mortality and exacerbation of COPD. The relative risk (RR) for overall mortality was 0.72 (0.63 to 0.83), and for exacerbation of COPD was 0.63 (0.57 to 0.71). In subgroup analysis of COPD patients with coronary heart disease or heart failure, the risk for overall mortality was 0.64 (0.54-0.76) and 0.74 (0.58-0.93), respectively.

conclusionThe findings of this meta-analysis confirmed that beta-blocker use in patients with COPD may not only decrease the risk of overall mortality but also reduce the risk of exacerbation of COPD. Beta-blocker prescription for cardiovascular diseases needs to improve in COPD patients.

Indexed as

Adrenergic beta-AntagonistsAgedAged, 80 and overCoronary Artery DiseaseDisease ProgressionFemaleHeart FailureHumansMaleMiddle AgedOdds RatioPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveRiskSurvival AnalysisTreatment OutcomeAdrenergic beta-Antagonists

Identifiers

PMID25427000
PMCPMC4245088
OpenAlexW2009197337

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.