SynthesisFrontiers in neurology
Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: The incidence of neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI-NP) is increasing, and current pharmacological treatments are often limited by severe side effects and diminishing efficacy. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on SCI-NP and its frequently comorbid emotional disorders. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search across five databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Pedro) up to April 13, 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the impact of rTMS on SCI-NP against sham stimulation were included. Pain was the primary outcome, while changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms were secondary outcomes. Data were pooled using standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 131 studies were retrieved from the five databases, and 7 RCTs involving 159 SCI patients were ultimately included. The results indicated that, compared to the control group (sham stimulation), rTMS effectively improved SCI-NP (SMD = -1.41; 95% CI = -2.44 to -0.59; Conclusion: rTMS demonstrates promising potential in alleviating the severity of SCI-NP. However, current evidence does not support a significant therapeutic effect on comorbid emotional states. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251074707, identifier PROSPERO (CRD420251074707).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.