Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41425592›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in immunology2025

Risk factors of serofast state in patients undergoing syphilis: a meta-analysis of 17 cohort studies.

Xin Zeng, Yuan Ouyang, Haoyun Wang, Linna Liu, Jiaxin Chen, Chengbin Zhu, Hong Huang, Jin Lin, Yanan Niu, Lan Liao and 4 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

14 authors.

Xin ZengInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Yuan OuyangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Haoyun WangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Linna LiuInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Jiaxin ChenInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Chengbin ZhuInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Hong HuangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Jin LinInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Yanan NiuInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Lan LiaoInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Na YangInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Chunlan XiaoInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Weidong GongAffiliated Hengyang Hospital of Hunan Normal University &Hengyang Central Hospital, Hengyang, Hunan, China.
Peng LiuInstitute of Pathogenic Biology, Basic Medical School, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: The serofast state in syphilis refers to a persistent serological status where patients maintain stable specific antibody titers despite receiving standardized anti-syphilitic therapy, whose underlying mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. This study aims to systematically identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of syphilitic serofast state through comprehensive clinical data analysis. Method: We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed and Embase databases for studies published up to February 20, 2025. A random-effects model was employed for meta-analysis, with effect estimates expressed as relative risk (RR) presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Methodological evaluations including sensitivity analyses and publication bias assessment were conducted to assess result robustness. Results: A total of 17 cohort studies involving 4,662 eligible participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated significant associations between serofast state and primary syphilis (RR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.44-0.96), latent syphilis (RR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.47-3.11), female gender (RR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.01-1.41), HIV coinfection (RR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.09-1.79), and lower rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titers (≤1:32) (RR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.02-2.13). No statistically significant associations were observed for secondary syphilis (RR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.59-1.12), age >40 years (RR = 1.41; 95% CI: 0.80-2.49), or benzathine penicillin treatment (RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.86-1.13). These findings were validated through leave-one-out sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: Female gender, HIV coinfection, primary syphilis, latent syphilis, and low rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titers (≤1:32) emerged as significant risk factors for serofast state development, requiring particular attention during therapeutic management to optimize syphilis treatment outcomes.

Indexed as

Antibodies, BacterialSyphilisCohort StudiesFemaleHIV InfectionsHumansMaleRisk FactorsAntibodies, Bacterialserofast stateserological diagnosissexually transmitted diseasesyphilistreponema pallidum

Identifiers

PMID41425592
PMCPMC12714923

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.