Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34667833›Full record

ReviewLaryngoscope investigative otolaryngology2021

Intramuscular corticosteroid injections in seasonal allergic rhinitis: A systematic review.

Ahmed B Bayoumy, Felicia van Schie, Inge Stegeman, Esther B Blijleven, Erwin L van der Veen, Jacob A de Ru

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology, 2021. 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
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 33% 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. Comparative safety analysis of coseasonal versus preseasonal Artemisia annua sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
    Trial
  2. Review
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

6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Ahmed B BayoumyFaculty of Medicine, Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5302-9312
Felicia van SchieFaculty of Medicine, Amsterdam UMC University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Inge StegemanDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck surgery, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht Utrecht The Netherlands.
Esther B BlijlevenDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck surgery, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht Utrecht The Netherlands.
Erwin L van der VeenDepartment of Otolaryngology Central Military Hospital, Ministry of Defense Utrecht The Netherlands.
Jacob A de RuDepartment of Otolaryngology Central Military Hospital, Ministry of Defense Utrecht The Netherlands.
Ministry of Defence · GBUniversity Medical Center Utrecht · NLAmsterdam Neuroscience · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSeasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is an exaggerated immunological reaction to allergens (pollen) in the air. In a small subgroup of patients, SAR can be difficult to control with first-line therapy. Intramuscular corticosteroid injections (IMCIs) are an additional treatment in this subgroup of SAR patients. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the efficacy and safety of IMCIs in SAR.

methodsTitles and abstracts were independently screened, followed by full-text screening based on predefined criteria. Included articles were critically appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. The primary outcome is reported as the final conclusion about efficacy that was stated in the included studies. The secondary outcome is the safety of IMCIs with regard to long lasting side-effects.

resultsThe search yielded 2139 records, of which 10 were relevant and valid for our clinical question. Critical appraisal showed high risk of bias, which was due to unclear description of methods. Four out of four placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trials reported a significant and relevant difference in efficacy in favor of IMCIs compared with placebo. The occurrence of side-effects was not different between IMCIs and placebo or oral corticosteroids (OCs).

conclusionThe outcome of this systematic review on trials concerning intramuscular steroid injections, despite being based on individual studies claiming favorable outcome with their use, is "inconclusive." This is because of the epidemiological high risk of bias in these studies that were mostly executed more than 30 years ago. The "inconclusive" rating allows for a description as an "optional therapy" for severe cases in guideline formation.

Indexed as

hay feverintramuscular corticosteroidsseasonal allergic rhinitistreatment

Identifiers

PMID34667833
PMCPMC8513445
OpenAlexW3198848075

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.