Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27732645›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2016

Neurofilaments as Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Zhouwei Xu, Robert David Henderson, Michael David, Pamela Ann McCombe

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
62citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
8.3field-weighted citation impact, top 2% 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

62 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 110 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Neurofilament as a potential biomarker for spinal muscular atrophy.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2019
    Trial
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Observational
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Clinical neurophysiology practice · 2024
    Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Review

2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Zhouwei XuCentre for Clinical Research, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5735-9987
Robert David HendersonDepartment of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Michael DavidSchool of Public Health, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Pamela Ann McCombeCentre for Clinical Research, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The University of Queensland · AURoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo allow early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression, there is a need for biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurofilaments (NF) are emerging protein biomarkers in other neurological diseases, and are of possible use in ALS.

objectiveThe aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of NF levels as blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker in patients with ALS.

methodsA systematic search of Pubmed, Embase and Scopus was performed. Methodological quality assessment was applied to refine the final search results. Meta-analysis of the data was performed.

resultsLevel of NF heavy chain and light chains were significantly elevated in the CSF of ALS patients compared to healthy controls/controls without parenchymal central nervous system (CNS) involvement and ALS mimic disease patients. NF light chain level in CSF was higher in ALS patients than in neurological patients with CNS involvement (SMD = 1.352, P = 0.01). NF light chain concentration in blood was higher in ALS patients than healthy controls/controls without CNS involvement (SMD = 1.448, P<0.0001). NF heavy chain levels in CSF were negatively correlated disease duration and ALSFRS-R ((r = -0.447, P<0.0001; r = -0.486, P<0.0001). NF light chain levels in CSF were negatively correlated with disease duration (r = -0.273, P = 0.011).

conclusionNF heavy and light chain levels have potential use as a marker of neural degeneration in ALS, but are not specific for the disease, and are more likely to be used as measures of disease progression.

Indexed as

Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisBiomarkersDisease ProgressionHumansNeurofilament ProteinsBiomarkersNeurofilament Proteins

Identifiers

PMID27732645
PMCPMC5061412
OpenAlexW2530101855

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.