Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31725628›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2019

Steroids in the treatment of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.

Jun Chen, Jie Zhu, Li Chen, Chen Hu, Yi Du

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

Synthesis in Medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% 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

14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Efficacy of Treatments in Nonarteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Targeting prostaglandin catabolism via topical nanotherapy rescues vision in ischemic optic neuropathy.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2026
    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

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jun ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi.
Jie ZhuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Nanping, Fujian, China.
Li ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Nanping, Fujian, China.
Chen HuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Nanping First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Nanping, Fujian, China.
Yi DuDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi.
Fujian Medical University · CNGuangxi Medical University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNon-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the common cause of acute and subacute optic neuropathy in adults over the age of 50. Steroid administration in NAION seems to be in practice and is advised frequently by neurologists. The controversy regarding steroid usage in NAION is far from settled, with strong opinions on both sides. Despite a large amount of articles on this topic, but the results have not always been consistent. To address this gap, we decided to conduct a meta-analysis of all available published studies in order to better understand the effectiveness of steroids in treating NAION.

objectivesTo identify the effectiveness of steroids in treating NAION.

methodsWe performed a meta-analysis using databases, including PUBMED EMBASE, and the Cochrane library, to find relevant studies. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was determined for BCVA in steroid and nonsteroid groups.

resultsEight studies were included and summarized in this analysis. The studies included 720 eyes (392 NAION eyes and 328 eyes of normal controls). Heterogeneity among these studies was low (I = 0%). Because of the presence of heterogeneity, we conducted a fixed effects model to assess the effect of steroids on visual acuity in patients with NAION. The meta-analysis clearly demonstrated that in NAION, steroids did not significantly improve visual acuity (WMD = -0.02 [95% CI: -0.10 to 0.06], Z = 0.40, P = .69). After sensitivity analysis via the leave-one-out method, WMD was not significantly changed.

conclusionsOur meta-analysis found that steroids do not significantly improve visual acuity in NAION. In view of their long list of side effects, attempts at reversing ischemia should not involve the use of steroids.

Indexed as

Adrenal Cortex HormonesHumansOptic Neuropathy, IschemicVisual AcuityAdrenal Cortex Hormones

Identifiers

PMID31725628
PMCPMC6867765
OpenAlexW2987286809

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.