Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39875945›Full record

SynthesisBMC urology2025

Comparison of treatments for preventing lower urinary tract symptoms after BCG immunotherapy of bladder tumors : a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Zihao Chen, Xin Chen, Dingchao Li, Jingang Jian, Chang Yao, Xuedong Wei, Jianquan Hou

Abstract readSystematic ReviewComparative StudyNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC urology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Clinical Presentation, Management, and Outcomes ofOpen forum infectious diseases · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. A population-based analysis of patterns of care in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer from Alberta, Canada.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2025
    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.

Zihao Chen *Department of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China.
Xin Chen *Department of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China.
Dingchao LiDepartment of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China.
Jingang JianDepartment of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China.
Chang YaoDepartment of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China.
Xuedong WeiDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China. wxd0422@163.com.
Jianquan HouDepartment of Urology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, People's Republic of China. xf192@163.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy is the standard adjuvant treatment for high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, BCG immunotherapy is commonly accompanied by significant lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) including symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, dysuria and pelvic pain. These symptoms can undermine treatment adherence and clinical outcomes. In this study, the treatments for preventing LUTS after BCG instillations were compared through a systemic review and network meta-analysis (NMA).

methodsEligible studies were obtained from the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library databases. We also searched the references of the included studies. Our protocol followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. We performed NMA using Review Manager 5.3 and STATA MP 18.0.

resultThe analysis included 6 studies with 556 participants. The results of the NMA revealed that celecoxib and prulifloxacin effectivelty reduce the incidence of LUTS including frequency, urgency and dysuria. Phenazopyridine showed the best performance in improving pelvic pain.

conclusionThe NMA indicated that medications such as celecoxib, prulifloxacin and phenazopyridine are effective in reducing the incidence of LUTS after BCG immunotherapy of bladder tumors.

Indexed as

Adjuvants, ImmunologicBCG VaccineImmunotherapyLower Urinary Tract SymptomsUrinary Bladder NeoplasmsHumansAdjuvants, ImmunologicBCG VaccineBCGBladder cancerImmunotherapyLUTSNetwork meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID39875945
PMCPMC11776312

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.