1170. Effects of Helminths and Anthelmintic Treatment on Cardiometabolic Diseases and Risk Factors: A Systematic Review


 
 
 Growing evidence suggests a link between helminth infections and cardiometabolic diseases, but their relationships have not been reviewed systematically. Further, the possibility that helminth eradication could increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases has not been comprehensively investigated.
 
 
 
 We conducted a systematic review assessing the reported effects of helminth infections and anthelmintic treatment on the development or severity of cardiometabolic diseases and risk factors. This study followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered prospectively in PROSPERO (CRD42021228610). Searches were performed on December 10, 2020 and updated on March 1, 2022 using Ovid MEDLINE ALL (1946 to March 2, 2022), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Global Index Medicus, and Ovid Embase (1974 to March 2, 2022). Randomized clinical trials, cohort, cross-sectional, case-control, and animal studies were included. Two reviewers performed screening independently.
 
 
 
 Eighty-three studies were included in the final analysis (Figure). Most studies reported on lipids (44), metabolic syndrome (38), and diabetes (30), with fewer on blood pressure (18), cardiovascular disease (11), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP, 5), and cardiomyopathy (4) (Table). Fifteen different helminth infections were represented. Helminth-infected subjects were less frequently reported to have dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, including coronary artery disease. Only 11 studies examined anthelmintic treatment, of which 9 (82%) reported post-treatment adverse increases in lipids, diabetes or glucose levels, and/or metabolic syndrome. Figure.PRISMA Flow Diagram of Systematic ReviewTable.Trends of Cardiometabolic Diseases and Risk Factors Reported in All Included Studies
 
 
 
 Animal and human reports consistently indicate that helminth infection may offer protection against dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and this protection may lessen after anthelmintic treatment. Our findings highlight the need for further cross-disciplinary research, which would have implications for both individual and population health, including mass drug administration, and could point towards ground-breaking new strategies to address the challenges of non-communicable diseases worldwide.
 
 
 
 All Authors: No reported disclosures.
