Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38794961›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of neurology2024

Nerve cross-sectional area from childhood to old age: A high-resolution nerve ultrasound study.

Jörg Philipps, Robin Denz, Melis Tahmaz, Ifirae Yusuf, Hannah Mork, Peter Dieter Schellinger, Anna Lena Fisse

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of neurology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

7 authors.

Jörg PhilippsDepartment of Neurology and Neurogeriatrics, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-3327-3550
Robin DenzDepartment of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Melis TahmazDepartment of Neurology and Neurogeriatrics, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden, Germany.
Ifirae YusufDepartment of Neurology and Neurogeriatrics, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden, Germany.
Hannah MorkDepartment of Neurology and Neurogeriatrics, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden, Germany.
Peter Dieter SchellingerDepartment of Neurology and Neurogeriatrics, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8517-0353
Anna Lena FisseDepartment of Neurology, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0493-8656

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeNerve cross-sectional area (CSA) is not constant over the human lifespan. The relationship between an increasing CSA and age has been described as a linear positive correlation, but few studies have found a linear decrease in nerve size with older age. The aim of the present study was to analyze the development of nerve CSA in a healthy population from early childhood to old age using high-resolution ultrasound.

methodsThe median, ulnar, radial and sural nerves were examined bilaterally at 18 nerve sites in 110 healthy children, adolescents and adults aged between 2 and 98 years. The CSA of every nerve site was evaluated separately and in different age groups. The correlation of CSA with age, height and weight was analyzed in a linear, logarithmic and quadratic model and correlation coefficients were compared in a goodness-of-fit analysis. Models were then adjusted for weight and height.

resultsLinear CSA-age correlations showed the lowest correlation coefficients for all nerve sites. An inverted parabolic curve suggesting a quadratic correlation of CSA and age was the best-fitting model. Weight and height had a higher predictive value than age in adjusted models.

conclusionsThere is an increase in nerve size during childhood and adolescence and a trend towards a decrease in old age, suggesting an inverted parabolic curve partly explained by age-related changes in weight and height. Enlarged nerves in elderly individuals should not be attributed to age alone.

Indexed as

AgingUltrasonographyAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPeripheral NervesUlnar NerveYoung Adultchildhoodcross‐sectional areanerve ultrasoundold age

Identifiers

PMID38794961
PMCPMC11235736

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Registered trials

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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.