Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38058136›Full record

SynthesisJournal of managed care & specialty pharmacy2023

Medication and bone health in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Michael Cahyadi, Jakub Mesinovic, Sher Ting Chim, Peter Ebeling, Ayse Zengin, Lisa Grech

Open access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Women's musculoskeletal health: insights from the 2024 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on chronic conditions.Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 2026
    Review
  2. Psychotropic medication use and bone fracture risk among patients with multiple sclerosis: a real-world study.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026
    Article
  3. 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 1 institution in 1 country.

Michael CahyadiDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Jakub MesinovicDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Sher Ting ChimDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Peter EbelingDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Ayse ZenginDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Lisa GrechDepartment of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Deakin University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople with multiple sclerosis (MS) are often prescribed medications associated with adverse effects on bone health. However, it is unclear whether these medications incur decreases in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and higher fracture risk in this population.

objectiveTo investigate the effects of commonly used medications on aBMD and fracture risk among people with MS.

methodsMEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched from their inception until February 5, 2023. We included randomized controlled trials as well as cross-sectional, retrospective, and prospective studies investigating whether glucocorticoids, immunomodulators, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anxiolytics, opioids, or antipsychotics influenced aBMD or fracture risk in people with MS. Data were pooled using random effects meta-analyses to determine hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs.

resultsWe included 22 studies (n = 18,193). Six studies were included in the meta-analyses of glucocorticoid use and aBMD, whereas 2 studies were included in the medication use and fracture risk meta-analyses. No studies assessed the effect of antidepressants, anxiolytics, anticonvulsants, opioids, and antipsychotics on aBMD, and no studies assessed the effect of immunomodulators on fracture risk. Glucocorticoid use was significantly negatively associated with femoral neck aBMD (correlation = -0.21 [95% CI = -0.29 to -0.13]), but not with lumbar spine aBMD (correlation = -0.21 [95% CI = -0.50 to 0.12]). There were no differences in fracture risk between users of glucocorticoids (HR = 1.71 [95% CI = 0.04 to 76.47]), antidepressants (HR = 1.84 [95% CI = 0.09 to 38.49]), or anxiolytics (HR = 2.01 [95% CI = 0.06 to 64.22]), compared with nonusers.

conclusionsThe available evidence is insufficient to support a relationship between greater fracture risk for people with MS taking glucocorticoid, antidepressant, or anxiolytic medication, compared with nonusers, and it is unclear whether these medications are associated with bone loss in people with MS, beyond that in the general population. Additional high-quality studies with homogenous methodology exploring how medications influence aBMD and fracture risk in people with MS are required.

Indexed as

Anti-Anxiety AgentsFractures, BoneMultiple SclerosisAnticonvulsantsAntidepressive AgentsBone DensityCross-Sectional StudiesGlucocorticoidsHumansImmunologic FactorsProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesAnti-Anxiety AgentsAnticonvulsantsAntidepressive AgentsGlucocorticoidsImmunologic Factors

Identifiers

PMID38058136
PMCPMC10776270
OpenAlexW4389432993

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.