SynthesisJournal of neurology2021
Neurofilaments in progressive multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Journal of neurology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 49 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
49 citing papers in PubMed, 80 citations in OpenAlex.
- Serum neurofilament light and MRI predictors of cognitive decline in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: Analysis from the MS-STAT randomised controlled trial.Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2022Trial
- Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation on Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.Stem cells translational medicine · 2022Trial
- Assessing Neurofilaments as Biomarkers of Neuroprotection in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: From the MS-STAT Randomized Controlled Trial.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2022Trial
- Elevated Serum Neurofilament Light Chain Is Associated With Systemic Inflammation in Very Preterm Infants.Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) · 2026Article
- Use of blood-based neurofilament light chain as an endpoint in clinical trials of neurodegenerative conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
- MicroRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis.Molecular neurobiology · 2026Article
- Neurofilaments: A Promising Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Multiple Sclerosis.Annals of neurosciences · 2026Review
- Single-Eye NfL Measurement Using NULISA Technology Enables Reduction in Animal Use.The AAPS journal · 2026Article
- Smoldering neuroinflammation in progressive multiple sclerosis: mechanisms, imaging biomarkers, and therapeutic opportunities.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Neurofilaments in Tears as Early Biomarkers of Corneal Neurodegeneration in Diabetes Without Retinopathy.Biomarker insights · 2026Article
- Biomarkers associated with blood-brain interface regulation and relationships to exercise and epilepsy: a brief review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2026Review
- Profiling the Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteome in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Treatment Effects and Associations with IgM Oligoclonal Bands.Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology · 2025Article
- Exploring the Clinical Utility of Neurofilament Light Chain Assays in Multiple Sclerosis Management.Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation · 2025Review
- Immunomodulatory Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.Cureus · 2025Review
- Neurodegenerative Biomarkers in Multiple Sclerosis: At the Interface Between Research and Clinical Practice.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Neurofilament heavy chain in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2025Article
- Recent advances in mesenchymal stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis: clinical applications and challenges.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2025Review
- Emerging Trends: Neurofilament Biomarkers in Precision Neurology.Neurochemical research · 2024Review
- Serum Neurofilament Light-Chain Concentrations in Essential Tremor: a Case-Control Study.Cerebellum (London, England) · 2024Article
- Studying serum neurofilament light chain levels as a potential new biomarker for small fiber neuropathy.European journal of neurology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundNeurofilament proteins have been extensively studied in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, where they are promising biomarkers of disease activity and treatment response. Their role in progressive multiple sclerosis, where there is a particularly urgent need for improved biomarkers, is less clear. The objectives of this systematic review are to summarise the literature on neurofilament light and heavy in progressive multiple sclerosis, addressing key questions.
methodsA systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus identified 355 potential sources. 76 relevant sources were qualitatively reviewed using QUADAS-2 criteria, and 17 were identified as at low risk of bias. We summarise the findings from all relevant sources, and separately from the 17 high-quality studies.
resultsDifferences in neurofilament light between relapsing-remitting and progressive multiple sclerosis appear to be explained by differences in covariates. Neurofilament light is consistently associated with current inflammatory activity and future brain atrophy in progressive multiple sclerosis, and is consistently shown to be a marker of treatment response with immunosuppressive disease-modifying therapies. Associations with current or future disability are inconsistent, and there is no evidence of NFL being a responsive marker of purportedly neuroprotective treatments. Evidence on neurofilament heavy is more limited and inconsistent.
conclusionsNeurofilament light has shown consistent utility as a biomarker of neuroinflammation, future brain atrophy and immunosuppressive treatment response at a group level. Neither neurofilament light or heavy has shown a consistent treatment response to neuroprotective disease-modifying therapies, which will require further data from successful randomised controlled trials.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.