AI Article Synopsis

  • Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) present complex challenges for reconstruction, with vascularised (VNGs) and non-vascularised nerve grafts (NVNGs) being common treatment options; this review aims to compare their clinical and laboratory outcomes.
  • A systematic literature search identified seven clinical and 34 laboratory studies, showing that VNGs generally favored recovery in sensory and motor functions, and showed better lab results like reduced muscular atrophy and enhanced nerve regeneration.
  • Despite the indications that VNGs may be superior, the evidence quality was low and varied, meaning more robust clinical trials are needed to strengthen these findings.

Article Abstract

Background: Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) are common, with complex defects posing a significant reconstructive challenge. Although vascularised (VNGs) and non-vascularised nerve grafts (NVNGs) are established treatment options, there is no comprehensive summary of the evidence supporting their clinical, electrophysiological, and histological outcomes. This review aims to systematically evaluate the clinical and laboratory literature comparing VNGs and NVNGs to inform future clinical practice and research.

Methods: This review was prospectively registered and reported according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Register were systematically searched. Studies comparing VNGs and NVNGs in PNIs were included. Meta-analyses were performed for outcomes reported in ≥3 laboratory studies. Functional outcomes were synthesised by vote-counting based on direction of effect for clinical studies. Risk-of-bias was assessed using RoB2, ROBINS-I, and SYRCLE, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE.

Results: Seven clinical and 34 laboratory studies were included. Of the clinical comparisons, 90% and 56% identified an effect on recovery of sensibility (p = 0.01) and motor function (p = 0.05), respectively, that favoured VNGs. Nine (of 13) separate meta-analyses of laboratory studies demonstrated reduced muscular atrophy, superior axonal regeneration, and remyelination in VNGs. VNGs eliminated the 3-day interval of ischaemia otherwise sustained by NVNGs. Overall, the quality of evidence was low.

Conclusion: This systematic review indicates that VNGs may offer some advantages over NVNGs in PNI reconstruction. However, due to the low quality of evidence, significant statistical heterogeneity, and clinical diversity of the included studies, these conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality clinical trials are necessary to validate these findings.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2024.07.064DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

laboratory studies
16
clinical laboratory
12
clinical
9
systematic review
8
studies comparing
8
non-vascularised nerve
8
nerve grafts
8
peripheral nerve
8
comparing vngs
8
vngs nvngs
8

Similar Publications

This paper reviews the methods and approaches used to humanely anesthetize (render unconscious) and or euthanize (kill) laboratory fish (in research settings), with a specific focus on the fathead minnow. We surveyed the literature (333 scientific studies published 2004-2021) to examine euthanasia methods used for various life stages. Our findings showed that many published scientific papers do not provide an adequate description of anesthesia or euthanasia methods, particularly for larval fathead minnows.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Quantitative Evaluation of Multiple Treatment Regimens for Treatment-Resistant Depression.

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol

January 2025

Center for Drug Clinical Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai 201203, China.

Objective: This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy and safety of various treatment regimens for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) across oral, intravenous, and intranasal routes to inform clinical guidelines.

Methods: A systematic review identified randomized controlled trials on TRD, with efficacy measured by changes in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). We developed pharmacodynamic and covariate models for different administration routes, using Monte Carlo simulations to estimate efficacy distribution.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The immunogenicity of rabies vaccines is commonly measured by serological testing, which includes measuring rabies virus-neutralising antibody titre levels in the serum. Apart from humoral immunity, cellular immunity measurements are also helpful in assessing the immunogenicity and efficacy of rabies vaccinations. Recently, there has been an increased emphasis on cellular immunity measurements against rabies in humans and animals.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Blood sampling is often performed during animal studies. This is more challenging in mice than in larger animal species owing to their size and lack of blood vessel visibility. Guidelines for blood sampling in mice and papers on animal welfare often refer to the submandibular, cheek, buccal, and anterior facial veins.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To what extent sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of the type-5 phosphodiesterase modulates systemic redox status and cerebrovascular function during acute exposure to hypoxia remains unknown. To address this, 12 healthy males (aged 24 ± 3 y) participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study involving exposure to both normoxia and acute (60 min) hypoxia (Fi = 0.14), followed by oral administration of 50 mg sildenafil and placebo (double-blinded).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!