Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38589503›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2024

Cement augmentation for proximal humerus fractures: a meta-analysis of randomized trials and observational studies.

Yannic Lecoultre, Frank J P Beeres, Björn C Link, Fabian Pretz, Franz Tillmann, Reto Babst, Bryan J M van de Wall

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  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. [Research progress on medial support augmentation techniques for proximal humeral fractures].Zhongguo xiu fu chong jian wai ke za zhi = Zhongguo xiufu chongjian waike zazhi = Chinese journal of reparative and reconstructive surgery · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Proximal humerus fractures in the elderly: is there (still) a role for plate osteosynthesis?European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Review
  5. 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

7 authors.

Yannic LecoultreDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland. y@lecoultre.cc.
Frank J P BeeresDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Björn C LinkDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Fabian PretzDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Franz TillmannDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Reto BabstDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Bryan J M van de WallDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIt is unclear if elderly patients treated with plate osteosynthesis for proximal humerus fractures benefit from cement augmentation. This meta-analysis aims to compare cement augmentation to no augmentation regarding healing, complications, and functional results.

methodsPubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized clinical trials and observational studies. Effect estimates were pooled across studies using random effects models. The primary outcome is overall complication rate. Stratified analyses were performed for types of complication (implant-related or systemic). Secondary outcomes include re-interventions, hospital stay, operation time, functional scores, and general quality of life.

resultsFive observational studies and one randomized controlled trial with a total of 541 patients were included. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the augmented group (15.6% versus 25.4%, OR 0.54 (95%CI 0.33-0.87)). This was caused by a reduction of implant-related complications (10.4% vs. 19.9%, OR 0.49 (95%CI 0.28, 0.88)). No difference in humeral head necrosis was found. Data on re-intervention, hospital stay, and operation time was limited but did not show significant differences. No impact on functional scores and general quality of life was detected.

conclusionThis meta-analysis shows that cement augmentation may reduce overall complications, mainly by preventing implant-related complications. No difference was detected regarding need for re-intervention, functional scores, general quality of life, and hospital stay. This is the first meta-analysis on this topic. It remains to be seen whether conclusions will hold when more and better-quality data becomes available.

Indexed as

Bone CementsFracture Fixation, InternalShoulder FracturesBone PlatesFracture HealingHumansLength of StayObservational Studies as TopicPostoperative ComplicationsQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicBone CementsCement augmentationORIFPlatingProximal humerus fracture

Identifiers

PMID38589503
PMCPMC11599401

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.