Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33129321›Full record

SynthesisOrphanet journal of rare diseases2020

Therapeutic options for patients with rare rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tim T A Bender, Judith Leyens, Julia Sellin, Dmitrij Kravchenko, Rupert Conrad, Martin Mücke, Matthias F Seidel

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 24% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. 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

7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Tim T A BenderCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Judith LeyensChildren's University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Julia SellinCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Dmitrij KravchenkoRadiological Department, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Rupert ConradDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. rupert.conrad@ukbonn.de.
Martin MückeCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. martin.muecke@ukbonn.de.ORCID 0000-0002-9275-9035
Matthias F SeidelDepartment of Rheumatology, Hospital Centre Biel-Bienne, Biel, Switzerland. matthias.seidel@szb-chb.ch.
University Hospital Bonn · DESpitalzentrum Centre hospitalier Biel- Bienne · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRare diseases (RDs) in rheumatology as a group have a high prevalence, but randomized controlled trials are hampered by their heterogeneity and low individual prevalence. To survey the current evidence of pharmacotherapies for rare rheumatic diseases, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of RDs in rheumatology for different pharmaco-interventions were included into this meta-analysis if there were two or more trials investigating the same RD and using the same assessment tools or outcome parameters. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, and PUBMED were searched up to April 2nd 2020. The overall objective of this study was to identify RCTs of RDs in rheumatology, evaluate the overall quality of these studies, outline the evidence of pharmacotherapy, and summarize recommended therapeutic regimens.

resultsWe screened 187 publications, and 50 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. In total, we analyzed data of 13 different RDs. We identified several sources of potential bias, such as a lack of description of blinding methods and allocation concealment, as well as small size of the study population. Meta-analysis was possible for 26 studies covering six RDs: Hunter disease, Behçet's disease, giant cell arteritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis, reactive arthritis, and systemic sclerosis. The pharmacotherapies tested in these studies consisted of immunosuppressants, such as corticosteroids, methotrexate and azathioprine, or biologicals. We found solid evidence for idursulfase as a treatment for Hunter syndrome. In Behçet's disease, apremilast and IF-α showed promising results with regard to total and partial remission, and Tocilizumab with regard to relapse-free remission in giant cell arteritis. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, and azathioprine were equally effective in ANCA-associated vasculitis, while mepolizumab improved the efficacy of glucocorticoids. The combination of rifampicin and azithromycin showed promising results in reactive arthritis, while there was no convincing evidence for the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in systemic sclerosis.

conclusionFor some diseases such as systemic sclerosis, ANCA-associated vasculitis, or Behcet's disease, higher quality trials were available. These RCTs showed satisfactory efficacies for immunosuppressants or biological drugs, except for systemic sclerosis. More high quality RCTs are urgently warranted for a wide spectrum of RDs in rheumatology.

Indexed as

Rare DiseasesRheumatic DiseasesHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsMethotrexateRituximabImmunosuppressive AgentsMethotrexateRituximabANCA-associated vasculitis (orpha: 156152)Behçet’s disease (orpha: 117)Connective tissue diseaseGiant cell arteritis (orpha: 397)Hunter disease (orpha: 580)Meta-analysisPharmacotherapyRare diseaseRheumatologySystematic reviewSystemic sclerosis (orpha: 90291)Vasculitis

Identifiers

PMID33129321
PMCPMC7603763
OpenAlexW3096297207

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.