Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26666581›Full record

SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2015

Extracorporeal photopheresis versus alternative treatment for chronic graft-versus-host disease after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in paediatric patients.

Marcus Weitz, Brigitte Strahm, Joerg J Meerpohl, Maria Schmidt, Dirk Bassler

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 18% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. European dermatology forum: Updated guidelines on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis 2020 - Part 2.Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV · 2021
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Marcus WeitzPediatric Nephrology, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, Zurich, Switzerland, 8032.
Brigitte Strahm
Joerg J Meerpohl
Maria Schmidt
Dirk Bassler
University Children's Hospital Zurich · CHUniversity Hospital of Zurich · CHUniversity Medical Center Freiburg · DEUniversity of Freiburg · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation occurring in 6% to 65% of the recipients. Currently, the therapeutic mainstay for chronic GvHD are corticosteroids that are frequently combined with other immunosuppressive agents in people with steroid-refractory manifestations. There is no established standard treatment for steroid-refractory chronic GvHD. The therapeutic options for these patients include extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), an immunomodulatory treatment that involves ex vivo collection of mononuclear cells from peripheral blood, exposure to the photoactive agent 8-methoxypsoralen, ultraviolet radiation and re-infusion of the processed cell product. The mechanisms of action of ECP are not completely understood. This is an updated version of a Cochrane review first published in 2014.

objectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ECP for the management of chronic GvHD in children and adolescents after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. SEARCH

methodsWe searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 9, 2015), MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from their inception to 23 September 2015. We searched the reference lists of potentially relevant studies without any language restriction. We searched eight trial registers and five conference proceedings on 29 September 2015. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ECP with or without alternative treatment versus alternative treatment alone in paediatric patients with chronic GvHD after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently performed the study selection. We resolved disagreements in the selection of trials by consultation with a third review author. MAIN

resultsNo additional studies were identified in this 2015 review update, in total leading to no studies meeting the criteria for inclusion in this review. AUTHORS'

conclusionsThe efficacy of ECP in the treatment of chronic GvHD in paediatric patients after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation based on RCTs cannot be evaluated since the original version of this review and the first review update found no RCTs. Current recommendations are based on retrospective or observational studies only. Thus, ideally, ECP should be applied in the context of controlled trials only. However, performing RCTs in this patient population will be challenging due to the limited number of patients, the variable disease presentation and the lack of well-defined response criteria. International collaboration, multicentre trials and appropriate funding for such trials will be needed. If treatment decisions based on clinical data are made in favour of ECP, patients should be carefully monitored for beneficial and harmful effects. In addition, efforts should be made to share this information with other clinicians, for example by setting up registries for paediatric patients that are treated with ECP.

Indexed as

AdolescentChildChronic DiseaseGraft vs Host DiseaseHematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationHumansPhotopheresis

Identifiers

PMID26666581
PMCPMC7093760
OpenAlexW1513776602

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.