Evidence mapPaperPMID 41291900Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of medical research2025

Association between surgical timing and neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury.

Yang Song, Kai-Long Zhu, Cheng-Pei Zhou, Jian Zhao, Shu Qian, Shi-Kong Guo, Hao-Ran Gao, Yi-Fang Yuan, Ji-Xian Qian, Tian Li and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Yang Song *Department of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
Kai-Long Zhu *Department of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
Cheng-Pei Zhou *Department of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
Jian Zhao *Department of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
Shu QianDepartment of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Shi-Kong GuoDepartment of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China.
Hao-Ran GaoDepartment of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710077, China.
Yi-Fang YuanDepartment of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Ji-Xian QianDepartment of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China. pasmiss2012@163.com.
Tian LiTianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300100, China. fmmult@foxmail.com.
Fei-Long WeiDepartment of Orthopaedics, General Hospital of Central Theater Command (Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Previously), Wuhan, 430030, China. feilongspine@163.com.
Quan-You GaoDepartment of Orthopaedics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710038, China. 18009129090@163.com.

Funding

Key Research and Development Projects of Shaanxi Province 2025SF-YBXM-319National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents No. BX20240499
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe ideal timing for treating traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) continues to be a subject of clinical debate. Our objective was to explore if early surgical decompression correlates with improved outcomes for tSCI individuals.

methodsA comprehensive search was conducted across the Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed databases, covering the period from their inception until May 6th, 2024. The results were presented as odds ratios (OR), mean differences (MD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The detailed study protocol was published in PROSPERO (CRD42024536129).

resultsThis study included 28 research articles, consisting of 3 RCTs and 25 cohort studies, with a total of 3633. Compared to the late surgery group, the early surgery group had a significantly improved neurological recovery, with an increase of at least one ASIA grade (OR, 2.23; [95% CI 1.63-3.05]), an improvement of at least two ASIA grades (OR, 3.03; [95% CI 1.96-4.68]), and a higher total motor score (MD, 5.29; [95% CI 2.32-8.25]) at 12th month post-surgery. However, these differences were no longer observed after 2 years of follow-up. Early surgery was associated with a higher mortality rate in cervical tSCI (OR, 2.46; [95% CI 1.12-5.41]) and in Asian patients (OR, 2.60; [95% CI 1.25-5.42]).

conclusionsThese findings support the routine use of early surgery in patients with thoracolumbar tSCI, as it is associated with faster neurological recovery. However, due to the small sample size, this conclusion should be interpreted with caution.

Indexed as

Decompression, SurgicalSpinal Cord InjuriesTime-to-TreatmentHumansRecovery of FunctionTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeDecompressionNeurological recoveryTime factorTraumatic spinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID41291900
PMCPMC12645785

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.