Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38166758›Full record

SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2024

Comparative efficacy and safety of medical treatments for proximal humerus fractures: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Yun Zheng, Nan Tang, Wen-Jie Zhang, Wei Shi, Wen-Wen Zhao, Kun Yang

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative StudySystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.7field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The effects of augmentation choices for locking plate fixation in proximal humerus fracture osteosynthesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. ORIF of three- and four-part proximal humeral fractures: a retrospective study of long-term clinical and complication outcomes of two-plate fixation methods.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. 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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yun ZhengR & D Center, Beijing Naton Technology Group Co., Ltd, Peking, China.
Nan TangDirector of Tianjin Center for Medical Devices Evaluation and Inspection, Tianjin, China.
Wen-Jie ZhangComprehensive Business Department, Tianjin Center for Medical Devices Evaluation and Inspection, Tianjin, China.
Wei ShiQuality Management Department, Tianjin Center for Medical Devices Evaluation and Inspection, Tianjin, China.
Wen-Wen ZhaoRegistration and Regulatory Department, Beijing Naton Technology Group Co, Ltd, Building 1, Yard 9, Chengwan Street, Haidian District, Peking, 100094, China. A000365@naton.cn.
Kun YangQuality Management Department, Tianjin Center for Medical Devices Evaluation and Inspection, Tianjin, China.
Tianjin Special Equipment Supervision and Inspection Technology Research Institute · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVarious surgical techniques and conservative therapies are useful tools for treating proximal humerus fractures (PHFs), but it is important to understand how to properly utilize them. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare and rank the efficacy and safety of medical treatments for PHF.

methodsPubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the ClinicalTrials.gov databases were systematically searched for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception until June 2022. Conservative therapy-controlled or head-to-head RCTs of open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), intramedullary nailing (IMN), hemiarthroplasty (HA), and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) used for the treatment of adult patients with PHF were included. The surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities were applied to compare and rank the effects of medical treatments for PHF.

resultsEighteen RCTs involving 1,182 patients with PHF were selected for the final analysis. Mostly baseline characteristics among groups were well balanced, and the imbalanced factors only included age, injury type, medial comminution, blood loss, and cognitive function in single trial. The SUCRA probabilities found that RTSA provided the best effect on the Constant-Murley score (SUCRA: 100.0%), and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score (SUCRA: 99.0%). Moreover, HA (SUCRA: 85.5%) and RTSA (SUCRA: 68.0%) had a relatively better effect on health-related quality of life than the other treatment modalities. Furthermore, conservative therapy (SUCRA: 84.3%) and RTSA (SUCRA: 80.7%) were associated with a lower risk of secondary surgery. Finally, the best effects on the risk of complications are varied, including infection was observed with conservative therapy (SUCRA: 94.2%); avascular necrosis was observed in HA (SUCRA: 78.1%), nonunion was observed in RTSA (SUCRA: 69.6%), and osteoarthritis was observed in HA (SUCRA: 93.9%).

conclusionsThis study found that RTSA was associated with better functional outcomes, while the comparative outcomes of secondary surgery and complications varied. Optimal treatment for PHF should consider patient-specific factors.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, ShoulderHemiarthroplastyHumeral FracturesShoulder FracturesAdultHumansHumerusTreatment OutcomeHemiarthroplastyIntramedullary nailingMeta-analysisOpen reduction internal fixationProximal humerus fractureReverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID38166758
PMCPMC10759392
OpenAlexW4390502070

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.