Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30564498›Full record

ReviewNeurology. Clinical practice2018

Body mass index and survival from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A meta-analysis.

Efthimios Dardiotis, Vasileios Siokas, Maria Sokratous, Zisis Tsouris, Athina-Maria Aloizou, Desponia Florou, Metaxia Dastamani, Alexios-Fotios A Mentis, Alexandros G Brotis

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Neurology. Clinical practice, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

44 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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  18. The obesity pandemic and its impact on non-communicable disease burden.Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology · 2025
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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

9 authors.

Efthimios DardiotisDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Vasileios SiokasDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Maria SokratousDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Zisis TsourisDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Athina-Maria AloizouDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Desponia FlorouDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Metaxia DastamaniDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Alexios-Fotios A MentisDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.
Alexandros G BrotisDepartment of Neurology (ED, VS, MS, ZT, A-MA, DF, MD), Laboratory of Neurogenetics, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Greece; Department of Microbiology (A-FAM), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece; Public Health Laboratories (A-FAM), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; and Department of Neurosurgery (AGB), University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeveral studies have examined the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and survival from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Many indicate that low BMI at diagnosis or during follow-up may be associated with accelerated progression and shortened survival. This study systematically evaluated the relationship between BMI and survival in patients with ALS.

methodsThe PubMed database was searched to identify all available studies reporting time-to-event data. Eight studies with 6,098 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. BMI was considered a continuous and ordered variable. Interstudy heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochran Q test and quantified by the I

resultsThe ALS survival hazard ratio (HR) decreased approximately by 3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2%-5%) for each additional BMI unit when BMI was considered a continuous variable. When BMI was considered a categorical variable, the HRs for "normal" BMI vs "overweight" BMI and "obese" BMI were estimated to be as high as 0.91 (95% CI: 0.79-1.04) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.60-1.01), respectively. The HR for the comparison of the "normal" BMI vs "underweight" BMI was estimated to be as high as 1.94 (95% CI: 1.42-2.65).

conclusionsBMI is significantly and inversely associated with ALS survival.

Identifiers

PMID30564498
PMCPMC6276330

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.