Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27658385›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2016

MRI utility in the detection of disease activity in clinically stable patients with multiple sclerosis: a retrospective analysis of a community based cohort.

Stanley Cohan, Chiayi Chen, Elizabeth Baraban, Tamela Stuchiner, Lois Grote

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neurology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 88% 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, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Serum neurofilament light in MS: The first true blood-based biomarker?Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2022
    Review
  3. Theranostics · 2021
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Stanley CohanProvidence Multiple Sclerosis Center, 9135 SW Barnes Rd Suite 461, Portland, 97225, OR, USA.
Chiayi ChenProvidence Brain and Spine Institute, 9155 SW Barnes Rd Suite 304, Portland, 97225, OR, USA. chiayi.chen@providence.org.
Elizabeth BarabanProvidence Brain and Spine Institute, 9155 SW Barnes Rd Suite 731, Portland, 97225, OR, USA.
Tamela StuchinerProvidence Brain and Spine Institute, 9155 SW Barnes Rd Suite 731, Portland, 97225, OR, USA.
Lois GroteProvidence Brain and Spine Institute, 9155 SW Barnes Rd Suite 304, Portland, 97225, OR, USA.
Providence College · USBarrow Brain and Spine · USMultiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSince the application of MRI scanning to the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis, it has been recognized that only a small fraction of lesions seen on MRI scans produce recognizable symptoms or neurological findings. Because new lesions may occur without clinical detection, the recommendation has been made that MRI scanning be performed on a routine scheduled basis, usually yearly, even in patients who are clinically stable.

methodsA retrospective chart review study was conducted on MS patients who had MRI scans of the central nervous system between 2009 and 2012 at Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center. Inclusion criteria were patients with relapsing MS who had been treated with interferon beta or glatiramer acetate for 6 months or longer. Information on type, indication, and result of MRI and whether a change in disease modifying therapy occurred as a result of the scan was collected.

resultsOf the 436 clinically stable patients who had routine MRI, 16.7 % of subjects had scans revealing new, enlarged or active lesions, yet in only 4.4 % patients was there a change in therapy based upon MRI results. Subjects who had MRI changes were found to be younger (50.15 vs 53.43, p = 0.02) but there was no significant difference in other demographic or clinical characteristics when compared with the subjects who did not have MRI changes. Thirty-six percent of patients with MRI changes did not change DMT due to patient request.

conclusionsThis study provides data on the likelihood of detecting MRI-documented disease activity, in patients demonstrating longer term sustained clinical stability while receiving DMTs. These results may materially assist in the decision whether or not to perform yearly MRI scanning of such patients. The potential clinical impact of the results of routine MRI scanning must be weighed against the consideration of considerable expense of frequent MRI scanning, and the yet unknown adverse impact of retained gadolinium in patients repeatedly receiving this contrast agent. The long-term clinical impact of not changing DMTs in patients in whom MRI changes were observed will be addressed in future studies of this cohort.

Indexed as

Disease modifying therapyMRIRelapsing multiple sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID27658385
PMCPMC5034445
OpenAlexW2522335968

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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.