SynthesisInflammopharmacology2025
Effect of pentoxifylline on serum levels and gene expression of inflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Inflammopharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- The neuroimmune-glutamate hypothesis of addiction.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2026Review
- Repositioning pentoxifylline via inhalable novasomes for pulmonary fibrosis: from statistical optimization to in-vivo evaluation.Drug delivery and translational research · 2026Article
- Pentoxifylline targets TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling to ameliorate neuroinflammation and metabolic dysfunction in a rat model of chronic hypoperfusion-induced vascular cognitive impairment.Metabolic brain disease · 2026Article
- Adjunctive Pentoxifylline Enhances Clinical Remission and Reduces Inflammatory Biomarkers in Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Pilot Trial.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Efficacy of Nebulized Pentoxifylline in a Mouse Model of Emphysema Induced by Cigarette Smoke and Aerosolized Lipopolysaccharide.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2026Article
- Integrated stress response genes as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in ankylosing spondylitis: a transcriptomic and Mendelian randomization study.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPentoxifylline (PTX), a methylxanthine derivative, has been recognized as a potential anti-inflammatory treatment across various conditions, yet its effects on inflammatory markers remain inconsistent. This systematic review/meta-analysis evaluated the impact of PTX on serum levels and gene expression of key inflammatory markers in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
methodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and ProQuest up to May 2025. Search results were screened in two stages by two independent reviewers. Data was extracted and the quality of the studies included was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tool. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA -17. The present study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.
resultsThis study included 81 RCTs involving 7,058 participants. PTX treatment significantly reduced serum levels of CRP (SMD = -0.30, 95% CI: -0.47 to -0.13), IL-6 (SMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -0.81 to -0.22), TNF-α (SMD = -0.72, 95% CI: -0.95 to -0.48), and IL-8 (SMD = -1.14, 95% CI: -1.94 to -0.33) compared to controls. No statistically significant effects were observed for IL-1β, ESR, IL-10, or TNFR. High heterogeneity was noted in most outcomes, partly attributed to variations in age, treatment duration, dosage, geographic region, and health conditions. Subgroup analyses revealed that younger patients, shorter interventions, and lower PTX doses were associated with stronger anti-inflammatory responses.
conclusionPTX reduces TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and CRP, supporting its role in chronic inflammatory diseases. Efficacy varies by age, dose, duration, geography, and disease, requiring personalized treatment. Contradictory biomarker effects and study limitations warrant high-quality trials with standardized protocols.
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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 Socratic graph.