Network Meta-Analysis of ALS Therapies: Efficacy and Safety from 109 Trials

109 randomized controlled trials involving 16,353 participants were analyzed to compare pharmacological and biological therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This network meta-analysis, authored by Shixun Zhou and uploaded in April 2026, systematically ranks interventions based on functional decline, respiratory function, mortality, and adverse events. The study's results and methodology are documented in a 317.5 KB text file.

Use Cases

• Ranking therapeutic efficacy for ALS based on ALSFRS-R and FVC outcomes mentioned in the description
• Comparing safety profiles of drug classes based on serious adverse event risk data
• Identifying promising specific agents like masitinib or talampanel for further research
• Conducting subgroup analyses within drug classes where heterogeneity is reported

Strengths

• Analysis is based on 109 randomized controlled trials, a substantial evidence base
• Includes data from 16,353 participants, providing a large sample size
• Employs a Bayesian network meta-analysis methodology for comparative effectiveness
• Registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251000672), indicating a structured review process

Limitations

• The dataset is a 317.5 KB text document; the underlying analysis data is not directly provided
• Column-level documentation for the raw trial data is absent; field semantics must be inferred
• Row count for any underlying data tables is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

Systematic review and network meta-analysis by author Shixun Zhou, shared on figshare.

Collection Method

Data gathered from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to February 25, 2025.

Time Range

Trials were searched until February 2025; the analysis publication date is 2026.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-24 13:39:33

Geography

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