Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35876973›Full record

SynthesisAdvances in therapy2022

Ribavirin for Treatment of Subjects with Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Related Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sofia Tejada, Raquel Martinez-Reviejo, Hanife N Karakoc, Yolanda Peña-López, Oriol Manuel, Jordi Rello

Open access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Advances in therapy, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
57citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
12.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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

57 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 90 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  11. Challenges and opportunities in the management of severe pneumonia. Key concepts from the Seventh Annual Meeting of Spanish Experts 2025.Revista espanola de quimioterapia : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Quimioterapia · 2026
    Review
  12. Article
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  17. Immunosenescence and susceptibility to respiratory viruses: a state-of-the-art review.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026
    Review
  18. Article
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  20. The usual suspects: Respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus drive asthma development and exacerbation.Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology · 2025
    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 4 institutions in 4 countries.

Sofia TejadaCentro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. stmagraner@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2000-6587
Raquel Martinez-ReviejoCentro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Hanife N KarakocKaradeniz Technical University School of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey.
Yolanda Peña-LópezClinical Research/Epidemiology in Pneumonia & Sepsis (CRIPS), Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Ps Vall d'Hebron 119 AMI-14th Floor, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
Oriol ManuelService of Infectious Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Jordi RelloCentro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Instituto de Salud Carlos III · ESKaradeniz Technical University · TRUniversity of Lausanne · CHVall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated diseases have caused an estimated 1.8 million hospital admissions and 40,000 deaths among children. RSV can cause lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in all age groups, adults with comorbidities, and immunocompromised patients. The aim was to summarize the evidence concerning efficacy and safety of ribavirin in subjects diagnosed with RSV associated with LRTI.

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. Eligible studies were observational (> 10 subjects) and randomized-controlled trials of subjects with aerosol/oral ribavirin for RSV-LRTI. Comparator was supportive care or placebo. Systematic search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases was conducted between January 2001 and January 2022. PROSPERO register number: CRD42022308147.

resultsAfter retrieving 907 studies, 10 observational studies and 1 randomized controlled trial were included (4/11 high quality of evidence). Seven studies included subjects with haematological malignancy/stem cell transplant, two lung transplants, and two healthy individuals. A total of 788 subjects diagnosed with RSV infection were included; 14.3% of them presented with only LRTI. Among 445 subjects treated with ribavirin, 195 (43.8%) received an aerosolized formulation. Pooled meta-analysis showed no differences in mortality [risk ratio (RR): 0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.28-1.42] in all subjects treated with aerosol/oral ribavirin compared to supportive care. In subgroup analysis, mortality was significantly lower in haematological subjects (RR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.14-0.71), but did not differ significantly in lung transplant recipients (RR: 0.89; 95% CI 0.31-2.56). Oral ribavirin (vs. supportive care) was associated with increased viral clearance (RR: 2.60; 95% CI: 1.35-4.99). Seventeen adverse events were reported among 119 subjects, but none were severe.

conclusionRibavirin should be considered for treatment of RSV-LRTI in haematological subjects. There is a lack of evidence to support its use in lung transplant recipients. Oral formulation appears to be an easier, safe, and cost-effective alternative to aerosolized ribavirin. Further advances needs to focus on newer antivirals.

Indexed as

Respiratory Syncytial Virus InfectionsRespiratory Tract InfectionsAdultAntiviral AgentsChildHumansRespiratory Aerosols and DropletsRespiratory Syncytial VirusesRibavirinAntiviral AgentsRibavirinBronchiolitisParamyxovirusPneumoniaRespiratory syncytial virusRibavirin

Identifiers

PMID35876973
OpenAlexW4287146765

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.