Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39394540›Full record

Trial reportAesthetic plastic surgery2025

Reduced Injection Site Pain with Altered pH in 24-h Reconstituted Botulinum Toxin: Findings from a Randomized Controlled Study on Cosmetic Applications.

Kenan Kherallah, Mohammed G Turkmani, Nabil Fakih-Gomez, Cristina Muñoz-González

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Aesthetic plastic surgery, 2025. 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
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  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

4 authors.

Kenan KherallahKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Mohammed G TurkmaniDepartment of Dermatology, Derma Clinic, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nabil Fakih-GomezDepartment of Facial Plastic and Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Fakih Hospital, Khaizaran, Lebanon. info@drnabilfakih.com.ORCID 0000-0003-4464-8258
Cristina Muñoz-GonzálezDepartment of Facial Plastic and Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Fakih Hospital, Khaizaran, Lebanon.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBotulinum toxin (BTX) injections are widely recognized for many cosmetic applications, but still commonly encounter a challenge: injection site pain (ISP). This discomfort can impact the overall patient experience and satisfaction, highlighting a need for innovative solutions to this problem.

objectiveThis randomized controlled study aimed to determine whether adjusting the pH levels in a 24-h reconstituted botulinum toxin can serve as a strategy to mitigate ISP.

methodsA controlled trial involving 24 volunteers was executed. Participants received incobotulinum toxin A. One side of each participant's face was treated with fresh toxin, while the other received a 24-h reconstituted version. Pain perceptions post-injection were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS).

resultspH values of the fresh toxin were more acidic (6.17) than the 24-h reconstituted toxin (7.17). Out of 24 patients, 13 reported reduced ISP with the 24-h reconstituted toxin. The mean VAS score for the fresh toxin was 5.92, in contrast to 4.17 for the reconstituted toxin, indicating a significant difference (p<0.01).

conclusionLimitations include the use of a VAS and a relatively small sample size. Altering the pH of BTX demonstrates potential in ISP reduction. However, broader, large-scale investigations are important for comprehensive validation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Indexed as

Botulinum Toxins, Type ACosmetic TechniquesAdultFemaleHumansHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMaleMiddle AgedNeuromuscular AgentsPain MeasurementTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultBotulinum Toxins, Type AincobotulinumtoxinANeuromuscular AgentsBotulinum toxinIncobotulinum toxinNormal salinePainpH value

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.