ReviewBrain sciences2026
Inconsistency in the Association Between Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Dementia Risk: An Updated Meta-Analysis.
Review in Brain sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Proton pump inhibitor use and risk of dementia in a population-based cohort study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundProton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used to manage acid-related gastrointestinal conditions. Nevertheless, growing attention has been paid to their long-term safety, especially their possible link to dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prior research has yielded inconsistent findings, underscoring the need for a comprehensive and current evaluation.
methodsA systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Embase (Ovid), and the Cochrane Library to identify relevant publications up to May 28, 2025, without language restrictions. Two investigators independently extracted study information and evaluated methodological quality as well as potential sources of bias. Eligible studies were observational in design and investigated the association between proton pump inhibitor (PPI) exposure and the risk of developing dementia compared with non-use. For the quantitative synthesis, pooled risk ratios (RRs) and corresponding confidence intervals were generated using a random-effects approach. STUDY
resultsEighteen studies, encompassing more than 6.3 million participants, met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimate showed no statistically significant association between PPI use and overall dementia risk (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.98-1.33; I
conclusionsOur findings reveal a lack of consistent evidence supporting a link between PPI use and dementia risk, primarily due to significant heterogeneity among existing studies. While no robust overall association was demonstrated, significant subgroup signals in older adults and specific regions suggest that clinical uncertainty remains. Rather than indicating a direct causal risk, these results underscore the importance of prescribing stewardship. Clinicians should focus on appropriate prescribing, ensuring long-term PPI therapy is reserved for patients with a clear therapeutic justification and utilized for the shortest effective duration.
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.