Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30284038›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neurology2018

Vitamin D for the treatment of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis.

Laurie McLaughlin, Laura Clarke, Elham Khalilidehkordi, Helmut Butzkueven, Bruce Taylor, Simon A Broadley

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neurology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 56 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
56citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
8.5field-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

56 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 113 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Trial
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  17. Article
  18. Vitamin DTurkish journal of medical sciences · 2024
    Article
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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

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Laurie McLaughlinSchool of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.
Laura ClarkeSchool of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.
Elham KhalilidehkordiSchool of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.
Helmut ButzkuevenMS and Neuroimmunology Service, Dept of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Alfred Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Bruce TaylorMenzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Simon A BroadleySchool of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia. simon.broadley@griffith.edu.au.
Gold Coast Hospital · AUMonash University · AUUniversity of Tasmania · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThere is an association between latitude, relative vitamin D deficiency and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), and an association between vitamin D and disease progression. We have performed a meta-analysis with the aim of investigating the role of therapeutic vitamin D in MS.

methodsA systematic search of databases was performed to identify clinical trials assessing vitamin D in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.

resultsTwelve studies involving 950 patients were included in the final analysis. Studies were divided into four groups because of heterogeneity in study design. Studies were judged to be at low or unclear risk of bias, except in three studies, and this was confirmed by funnel plots. No statistically significant difference was seen for any of the outcome measures. There were non-significant trends in favour of vitamin D for all outcome measures, particularly when only placebo-controlled studies were included. Dose comparison studies showed a significant increase in annualised relapse rate (mean difference 0.15 [95%CI 0.01-0.30]) and non-significant trends of increased Expanded Disability Status Scale and gadolinium-enhancing lesions for the higher-dose arms.

conclusionThese findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may have a therapeutic role in the treatment of MS. However, there is uncertainty with regard to the most appropriate dose, with high doses potentially being associated with worse outcomes. There remains the need for further well-performed randomised, dose-ranging, placebo-controlled trials of vitamin D in MS.

Indexed as

HumansImmunologic FactorsMultiple SclerosisVitamin DImmunologic FactorsVitamin DMeta-analysisMultiple sclerosisTreatmentVitamin D

Identifiers

PMID30284038
OpenAlexW2895146525

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.