| 【】Background With the exacerbation of population aging, there has been a significant increase in elderly patients with psychiatric disorders. The high incidence of pulmonary infections in this population is a major factor contributing to increased healthcare burden and mortality rates, posing a significant challenge for clinical prevention and management. Objective This study aimed to explore the incidence of pulmonary infections among elderly patients with psychiatric disorders and identify contributing factors to provide scientific evidence for prevention and management. Methods Relevant literature up to June 2024 was retrieved from databases including CNKI, CBM, Wanfang, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Ovid. Meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 16.0 software, with two researchers independently screening literature, extracting data, and assessing quality. Results A total of 16 studies (13 in Chinese, 3 in English) involving 75,474 patients were included. Meta-analysis revealed a pulmonary infection rate of 21.0% [95%CI: 15.3%-26.7%] among elderly psychiatric patients. Subgroup analysis indicated infection rates of 21.9% [95%CI: 18.2%-25.6%], 20.6% [95%CI: 12.9%-28.3%], and 5.2% [95%CI: 4.3%-6.2%] for dementia, schizophrenia, and unspecified psychiatric disorders, respectively. Meta-analysis of influencing factors showed that while the OR of psychiatric rating scale scores was not statistically significant (P≥0.05), comorbid diabetes (OR=2.05, 95%CI=1.52-2.76), prolonged bed rest (OR=2.41, 95%CI=1.91-3.04), dysphagia (OR=1.76, 95%CI=1.53-2.03), smoking history (OR=1.85, 95%CI=1.35-2.55), antimicrobial use (OR=1.98, 95%CI=1.67-2.35), hypoalbuminemia (OR=1.57, 95%CI=1.35-1.83), disease duration (OR=2.07, 95%CI=1.80-2.39), age (OR=5.01, 95%CI=1.91-13.13), length of hospital stay (OR=2.68, 95%CI=1.65-4.34), proton pump inhibitor use (OR=1.10, 95%CI=1.06-1.14), chronic pulmonary disease history (OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.43-1.57), poor oral hygiene (OR=3.66, 95%CI=1.01-13.23), comorbid tumors (OR=3.12, 95%CI=2.18-4.48), and multiple complications (OR=4.01, 95%CI=1.08-14.86) were statistically significant (P<0.05). These results underscore these factors as critical contributors to pulmonary infections in elderly psychiatric patients. Conclusion The incidence of pulmonary infections is notably high among elderly psychiatric patients, with variations observed among different psychiatric disorder types, notably higher in dementia. Age, disease duration, smoking history, comorbid physical illnesses, hypoalbuminemia, prolonged bed rest, dysphagia, oral hygiene status, antimicrobial use, proton pump inhibitor use, and length of hospital stay are major influencing factors. Comprehensive assessment and early detection, prevention, and intervention strategies are crucial to mitigate the occurrence of pulmonary infections in this vulnerable population. |