Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40762867›Full record

SynthesisBreast cancer research and treatment2025

Pharmacological interventions for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Pinyadapat Vacharanukrauh, Kyle J Miller, Sheikh M Alif, Fergal Grace, Muhammad Aziz Rahman

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2025. 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. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. 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

5 authors.

Pinyadapat VacharanukrauhInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia. pinyadapatareerob@students.federation.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8290-0325
Kyle J MillerSchool of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Sheikh M AlifInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.
Fergal GraceInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.
Muhammad Aziz RahmanInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to systematically assess the efficacy of cardioprotective agents in preventing anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer using a comprehensive network meta-analysis (NMA).

methodsThis study included patients with breast cancer undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before March 2020 were identified through systematic searches in MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and CINAHL. The primary outcome was left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, multigated radionuclide angiography, or echocardiography. The NMA integrated direct and indirect comparisons to estimate the relative effectiveness of pharmacological interventions.

resultsThe systematic review included 31 RCTs with 3,228 participants, whereas the NMA synthesized 25 effect sizes from 15 RCTs. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) [standardized mean difference (SMD): -1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.81 to -0.75] and trimetazidine (SMD: -1.12, 95%CI: -2.32 to -0.09) exhibited the most substantial cardioprotective effects. Dexrazoxane (SMD: -0.53, 95%CI: -1.90 to -0.02) and β-blockers (SMD: -0.34, 95%CI: -0.70 to 0.02) showed potential benefits, albeit with greater uncertainty. Direct comparisons showed that dexrazoxane was more effective than β-blockers (SMD: -1.25, 95%CI: -2.22 to -0.48), with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) outperforming both. Despite heterogeneity and potential publication bias, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) and trimetazidine consistently ranked as the most effective interventions. LVEF findings confirmed the cardioprotective benefits of β-blockers, ARBs, ACE inhibitors, and dexrazoxane.

conclusionsRCT evidence suggested that cardioprotective drugs effectively mitigate anthracycline-induced LVEF decline. However, the lack of direct head-to-head trials limits definitive conclusions on comparative efficacy, warranting trials in patients with lower baseline LVEF to optimize cardioprotective strategies.

Indexed as

AnthracyclinesBreast NeoplasmsCardiotonic AgentsCardiotoxicityFemaleHumansMineralocorticoid Receptor AntagonistsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicStroke VolumeAnthracyclinesCardiotonic AgentsMineralocorticoid Receptor AntagonistsAnthracyclinesBreast cancerCardioprotective interventionsChemotherapyNetwork meta-analysisRandomized clinical trials

Identifiers

PMID40762867
PMCPMC12398477

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.