Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38605350›Full record

Observational studyBMC cancer2024

Do beta-blockers reduce negative intrusive thoughts and anxiety in cancer survivors? - An emulated trial.

Carolina Ehrencrona, Ying Li, Eva Angenete, Eva Haglind, Stefan Franzén, Anna Grimby-Ekman, David Bock

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 24% 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.

NCT01477229 unknown statusnot on this map

Quality of Life in RECTal Cancer - A Study Within the Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group

TypeobservationalSponsorSahlgrenska University HospitalRan2012 to 2025Enrolled1,500ConditionsRectal Cancer, Quality of Life, Surgery
NCT02530593 unknown statusnot on this map

QoLiCOL - Quality of Life in Colon Cancer

TypeobservationalSponsorSahlgrenska University HospitalRan2015 to 2025Enrolled1,500ConditionsColonic NeoplasmArmsThere is no intervention, only observation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Narrative medicine in patients with cancer during intravenous antiblastic therapy: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Trial
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 at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Carolina EhrencronaDepartment of Surgery, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. carolina.ehrencrona@gu.se.
Ying LiDepartment of Surgery, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Eva AngeneteDepartment of Surgery, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Eva HaglindDepartment of Surgery, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Stefan FranzénMedical & Payer Evidence Statistics, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Anna Grimby-EkmanBiostatistics, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
David BockDepartment of Surgery, SSORG - Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Gothenburg · SEAstraZeneca (Sweden) · SESahlgrenska University Hospital · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh rates of negative intrusive thoughts have been reported among cancer patients. Prevalent users of beta-blocker therapy have reported lower levels of cancer related intrusive thoughts than non-user. The aim of this study is to investigate if initiation of beta-blocker therapy reduces the prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts (co-primary endpoints) and the prevalence of anxiety, depressed mood, and low quality of life (secondary endpoints) in cancer survivors.

methodsData on patient-reported outcomes from three cohort studies of Swedish patients diagnosed with colon, prostate or rectal cancer were combined with data on beta-blocker prescriptions retrieved from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Two randomized controlled trials were emulated. Trial 1 had follow-up 1 year after diagnosis, trial 2 had follow-up 2 years after diagnosis, baseline in both trials was 12 months before follow-up. Those who initiated beta-blocker therapy between baseline and follow-up was assigned Active group, those who did not was assigned Control group. All endpoints were analysed using Bayesian ordered logistic regression.

resultsTrial 1 consisted of Active group, n = 59, and Control group, n = 3936. Trial 2 consisted of Active group, n = 87, and Control group, n = 3132. The majority of participants were men, 83% in trial 1 and 94% in trial 2. The prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts were lower in the Active group in trial 1, but no significant differences between groups were found in either trial. The prevalence of depressed mood, worse quality of life and periods of anxiety were higher in the Active group in both trials with significant differences for quality of life in trial 1 and anxiety in trial 2.

conclusionsThe emulated trials demonstrated no evidence of a protective effect of beta-blocker therapy against intrusive thoughts. The Active group had reduced quality of life and elevated anxiety compared to the Control group.

trial registrationThe three cohort studies were registered at isrctn.com/clinicaltrials.gov (ISRCTN06393679, NCT02530593 and NCT01477229).

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsNeoplasmsAnxietyAnxiety DisordersBayes TheoremFemaleHumansMaleQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicScandinavians and Nordic PeopleAdrenergic beta-antagonistsCancer survivorsColorectal cancerIntrusive thoughtsProstate cancerPsychological DistressQuality of lifeTrial emulation

Identifiers

PMID38605350
PMCPMC11007941
OpenAlexW4394724370

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.