ReviewVaccines2025
Assessing the Vulnerability of Splenectomized Patients to Severe COVID-19 Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Review in Vaccines, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSplenectomized/asplenic individuals are at a heightened risk for severe infections due to compromised immune function. However, the impact of splenectomy/asplenia on COVID-19 outcomes remains underexplored. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the association between splenectomy/asplenia and severe COVID-19 outcomes.
methodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, databases including Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Web of Knowledge were searched for relevant articles published between January 2020 and June 2024. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for severe COVID-19 outcomes, with a random-effects model being used to account for heterogeneity. Out of 749 identified studies, 4 met the inclusion criteria.
resultsThe meta-analysis revealed a significant association between splenectomy/asplenia and overall severe COVID-19 outcomes (OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.06-3.47). Specifically, splenectomy/asplenia was significantly associated with increased COVID-19-related hospitalization (OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.21-3.49), while the association with COVID-19-related death was not statistically significant (OR = 1.52; 95% CI = 0.78-2.99). COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for these patients.
conclusionsSplenectomy/asplenia significantly increases the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, particularly hospitalization. The findings underscore the need for vigilant clinical management and targeted interventions for this vulnerable population. Further research is warranted to fully understand the risks and to develop effective guidelines for the protection of splenectomized individuals against COVID-19.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.