Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37278337›Full record

SynthesisJournal of anatomy2023

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of the retrotransverse foramen of the atlas.

Jakub R Pękala, Jonasz Tempski, Eirik Krager, Jacob Johansen, Dominik P Łazarz, Jerzy A Walocha, R Shane Tubbs, Krzysztof A Tomaszewski

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of anatomy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% 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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 4 countries.

Jakub R PękalaInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.
Jonasz TempskiInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.
Eirik KragerInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0003-1398-3256
Jacob JohansenInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.
Dominik P ŁazarzInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0003-0444-5472
Jerzy A WalochaInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.
R Shane TubbsDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Krzysztof A TomaszewskiInternational Evidence-Based Anatomy Working Group, Krakow, Poland.ORCID 0000-0002-9437-4526
Jagiellonian University · PLTulane University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The retrotransverse foramen (RTF) is a nonmetric variant of the atlas vertebra that can accommodate an anastomotic vertebral vein and occipital nerve. An understanding of this variation and its occurrence is crucial, as it could aid in explanation of the unidentified cause of the high prevalence of variability in this region. The aim of this meta-analysis was to obtain data on the prevalence of the RTF and its variations according to anatomy, sex, and ethnicity. A large-scale search was conducted through the major online databases to establish and determine the pool of studies reporting data relevant to the RTF. No date or language restrictions were applied. The data collection was categorized by prevalence, type (incomplete/complete), side, sex, ethnicity, laterality, and diameter. A total of 17 studies (n = 1979 subjects) were incorporated into our analysis. The overall pooled prevalence for a complete RTF was 11.4% and the overall pooled prevalence of an incomplete (partial) RTF was 9.6%. A complete RTF was most prevalent in Africa (Sub-Saharan population) (12.1%), followed by Europe (11.8%) and Asia (9.7%). As this variant occurs in a significant number of patients in all of the aforementioned populations, recognition, and awareness, especially with thorough investigation with computer tomography angiography (CTA) should be implemented, as it is the only possible way to visualize the possible contents of RTF.

Indexed as

Cervical AtlasAfricaComputed Tomography AngiographyDatabases, FactualHumansPrevalenceanatomic variationsatlasatlas variationscervical spineretrotransverse canal (RTC)retrotransverse foramen (RTF)

Identifiers

PMID37278337
PMCPMC10485574
OpenAlexW4379508175

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.