Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39727220›Full record

ArticleThe Veterinary record2025

Effect of local epidural application of methylprednisolone acetate on time to ambulation in non-ambulatory dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease: A prospective randomised, blinded control trial.

Pavlos Natsios, Lorenzo Golini, Brian H Park, Frank Steffen

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial, Veterinary
In one paragraph

Article in The Veterinary record, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

4 authors.

Pavlos NatsiosSmall Animal Surgery Clinic, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-8122-8899
Lorenzo GoliniDivision of Neurology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Brian H ParkSmall Animal Surgery Clinic, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Frank SteffenDivision of Neurology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe objective of this study was to analyse the potential benefit of the epidural application of steroids on time to ambulation in non-ambulatory dogs affected by intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) treated with decompressive surgery.

methodsThis prospective, randomised, blinded control trial involved 41 dogs with thoracolumbar disc extrusion, which were randomly allocated into two groups. In the control group, saline was locally applied after surgical decompression of the spinal cord (n = 23). In the treatment group (n = 18), local epidural application of methylprednisolone acetate (1 mg/kg) was used. Ambulation time was the primary outcome measure, defined as the ability to take 10 independent steps.

resultsThe median number of days to ambulation was 7 days (range: 1‒17 days) for the control group and 3 days (range: 1‒8 days) for the treatment group. One dog from the treatment group developed discospondylitis and abscess formation. LIMITATIONS: The study's heterogeneity in dog breeds, ages and pre-existing health conditions could affect the generalisability of the findings.

conclusionEpidural methylprednisolone acetate applied locally at the time of surgery may accelerate recovery in dogs following IVDD surgery.

Indexed as

Dog DiseasesIntervertebral Disc DegenerationIntervertebral Disc DisplacementMethylprednisoloneMethylprednisolone AcetateWalkingAnimalsDecompression, SurgicalDogsFemaleInjections, EpiduralMaleProspective StudiesThoracic VertebraeTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeMethylprednisoloneMethylprednisolone Acetate

Identifiers

PMID39727220
PMCPMC11869356

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

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 Socratic graph.