Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32284831›Full record

ArticleBasic and clinical neuroscience

Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation in Fecal Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Arash Sarveazad, Asrin Babahajian, Naser Amini, Jebreil Shamseddin, Mahmoud Yousefifard

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Basic and clinical neuroscience. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 23% 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Effects of Tibial Nerve Electrostimulation in Patients With Fecal Incontinence: A Systematic Review.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Acute Effect of Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation on Postural Control: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2025
    Trial
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. 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 2 institutions in 1 country.

Arash SarveazadColorectal Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Asrin BabahajianLiver and Digestive Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Naser AminiCellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Jebreil ShamseddinMolecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Mahmoud YousefifardPhysiology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Iran University of Medical Sciences · IRKurdistan University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe present systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the role of Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) in the control of Fecal Incontinence (FI).

methodsTwo independent reviewers extensively searched in the electronic databases of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus for the studies published until the end of 2016. Only randomized clinical trials were included. The studied outcomes included FI episodes, FI score, resting pressure, squeezing pressure, and maximum tolerable pressure. The data were reported as Standardized Mean Differences (SMD) with 95% confidence interval.

resultsFive articles were included in the present study (249 patients under treatment with PTNS and 239 in the sham group). Analyses showed that PTNS led to a significant decrease in the number of FI episodes (SMD=-0.38; 95% CI: -0.67-0.10; P=0.009). Yet, it did not have an effect on FI score (SMD=0.13; 95% CI: -0.49-0.75; P=0.68), resting pressure (SMD=0.12; 95% CI: -0.14-0.37; P=0.67), squeezing pressure (SMD=-0.27; 95% CI: -1.03-0.50; P=0.50), and maximum tolerable pressure (SMD=-0.10; 95% CI: -0.40-0.24; P=0.52).

conclusionBased on the results, it seems that the prescription of PTNS alone cannot significantly improve FI.

Indexed as

Electrical nerve stimulationFecal incontinenceTibial nerveTibial neuromodulation

Identifiers

PMID32284831
PMCPMC7149953
OpenAlexW2902032403

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.