SynthesisMedicine2026
Ropeginterferon alfa-2b in Polycythemia Vera: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Medicine, 2026. 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
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRopeginterferon alfa-2b, a novel monopegylated interferon with improved pharmacokinetics, has emerged as a promising cytoreductive agent for managing polycythemia vera (PV). Despite increasing adoption, evidence synthesis of its efficacy and safety compared to standard care remains limited. The manuscript aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ropeginterferon alfa-2b in comparison to standard treatment options, including hydroxyurea and phlebotomy, in achieving complete hematologic response, partial molecular response (PMR), and reducing JAK2V617F allele burden in patients with PV.
methodsA systematic search of 4 databases was conducted up to April 2025, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ropeginterferon alfa-2b with standard therapies in PV patients were included. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models to derive odds ratios for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted, and risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2.0.
resultsThree RCTs comprising 522 patients were analyzed. Ropeginterferon alfa-2b showed no statistically significant advantage overall or over hydroxyurea for complete hematological response (CHR), PMR, or JAK2 allele burden reduction. However, subgroup analyses revealed significant benefits over phlebotomy alone in all 3 outcomes: CHR (odds ratio [OR] 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-6.80; P = .007), PMR (OR 36.34; 95% CI: 2.11-625.93; P = .01), and allele burden reduction (MD -13.70; 95% CI: -19.24 to -8.16; P < .00001).
conclusionRopeginterferon alfa-2b demonstrates no statistically significant difference compared to hydroxyurea, but gives better outcomes over phlebotomy in short-term efficacy for PV management. Its favorable molecular and hematologic outcomes support its role as a disease-modifying therapy, particularly in low-risk patients. However, larger and longer-term trials are needed to confirm these benefits across broader populations.
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.