Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37394516›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neurology2023

Serum levels of neurofilament light chains in pediatric multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Alexandru-Ştefan Niculae, Lucia-Elena Niculae, Cristiana Văcăraş, Vitalie Văcăraş

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neurology, 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

  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

4 authors.

Alexandru-Ştefan NiculaeSecond Department of Pediatrics, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. niculae.alexandru.stefan@elearn.umfcluj.ro.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2771-2302
Lucia-Elena NiculaeDepartment of Neonatology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Cristiana VăcăraşFaculty of Medicine, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Vitalie VăcăraşSecond Department of Neurology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple sclerosis is a neuro-inflammatory disease that affects adults and children and causes somatic and cognitive symptoms. Diagnosis after the first clinical symptoms is challenging, involves laboratory and magnetic resonance imaging work-up and is often inconclusive unless subsequent clinical attacks occur. Neurofilament light chains are structural proteins within neurons. Levels of this marker in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma and serum are consistently higher in patients with an initial clinical demyelinating attack that later go on to develop multiple sclerosis. Evidence concerning serum levels of this biomarker in children with multiple sclerosis is scarce. Our aim is to review and analyze the evidence available for patients with multiple sclerosis, under the age of 18.

methodsWe conducted a systematic search of PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database, and ProQuest. Human studies that provided data on serum levels of Neurofilament light chains in pediatric patients with MS, measured at the time of the first demyelinating attack and before treatment were included in meta-analysis.

resultsThree studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. 157 pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis and 270 hospital-based controls that did not present with this condition were included in the analysis. A fixed effects meta-analysis showed that the standardized mean difference between patients and controls is 1.82, with a 95% confidence interval of [1.56-2.08].

conclusionPediatric patients with multiple sclerosis show higher levels of serum neurofilament light chains at their first clinical demyelinating attack compared to pediatric hospital-based controls.

Indexed as

Multiple SclerosisAdultBiomarkersChildHumansIntermediate FilamentsMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeurofilament ProteinsBiomarkersNeurofilament ProteinsBlood biomarkerMeta-analysisMultiple sclerosisNeurofilament light chainsPediatric

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.