Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38444061›Full record

SynthesisPalliative medicine2024

Subcutaneous sodium valproate in palliative care: A systematic review.

Sheryn Tan, Jeng Swen Ng, Charis Tang, Brandon Stretton, Joshua Kovoor, Aashray Gupta, Thomson Delloso, Tony Zhang, Rudy Goh, Shaddy El-Masri and 6 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Palliative medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 7% 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. 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

16 authors at 7 institutions in 4 countries.

Sheryn TanUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8310-0853
Jeng Swen NgUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Charis TangUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Brandon StrettonUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Joshua KovoorUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Aashray GuptaUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Thomson DellosoRoyal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Tony ZhangUniversity of Auckland, New Zealand.
Rudy GohUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Shaddy El-MasriRoyal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Michelle KileyRoyal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Ian MaddocksFlinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
Adil HarroudMcGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Sybil StacpooleSchool of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Gregory CrawfordUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Stephen BacchiFlinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
Royal Adelaide Hospital · AUThe University of Adelaide · AUFlinders University · AUBallarat Health Services · AUMcGill University · CAUniversity of Auckland · NZUniversity of Cambridge · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeizures are an important palliative symptom, the management of which can be complicated by patients' capacity to swallow oral medications. In this setting, and the wish to avoid intravenous access, subcutaneous infusions may be employed. Options for antiseizure medications that can be provided subcutaneously may be limited. Subcutaneous sodium valproate may be an additional management strategy.

aimTo evaluate the published experience of subcutaneous valproate use in palliative care, namely with respect to effectiveness and tolerability.

designA systematic review was registered (PROSPERO CRD42023453427), conducted and reported according to PRISMA reporting guidelines. DATA SOURCES: The databases PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus were searched for publications until August 11, 2023.

resultsThe searches returned 429 results, of which six fulfilled inclusion criteria. Case series were the most common study design, and most studies included <10 individuals who received subcutaneous sodium valproate. There were three studies that presented results on the utility of subcutaneous sodium valproate for seizure control, which described it to be an effective strategy. One study also described it as an effective treatment for neuropathic pain. The doses were often based on presumed 1:1 oral to subcutaneous conversion ratios. Only one study described a local site adverse reaction, which resolved with a change of administration site.

conclusionsThere are limited data on the use of subcutaneous sodium valproate in palliative care. However, palliative symptoms for which subcutaneous sodium valproate have been used successfully are seizures and neuropathic pain. The available data have described few adverse effects, supporting its use with an appropriate degree of caution.

Indexed as

AnticonvulsantsPalliative CareValproic AcidAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansInjections, SubcutaneousMaleMiddle AgedSeizuresAnticonvulsantsValproic Acidpainpalliative careseizuresValproic acid

Identifiers

PMID38444061
PMCPMC11025302
OpenAlexW4392515205

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.