Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a cause of significant morbidity, often resulting in long-term disability. We aimed to compare outcomes after riluzole versus patients who received placebo or standard of care with no specific intervention. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library database...

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Main Authors: Luke J. Weisbrod, Thomas T. Nilles-Melchert, Judith R. Bergjord, Daniel L. Surdell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2024-11-01
Series:Neurotrauma Reports
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Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/neur.2023.0114
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author Luke J. Weisbrod
Thomas T. Nilles-Melchert
Judith R. Bergjord
Daniel L. Surdell
author_facet Luke J. Weisbrod
Thomas T. Nilles-Melchert
Judith R. Bergjord
Daniel L. Surdell
author_sort Luke J. Weisbrod
collection DOAJ
description Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a cause of significant morbidity, often resulting in long-term disability. We aimed to compare outcomes after riluzole versus patients who received placebo or standard of care with no specific intervention. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library database searches yielded 92 records, and five met the study inclusion criteria. Fixed-effect and random-effects models were used to establish odds ratios (ORs) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each outcome. The results of the pooled analysis showed that in patients with acute traumatic SCI, riluzole resulted in increased American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor scores at 3 months (MD 0.26, 95% CI [–0.10,0.61], I2 = 0%; p = 0.157) and 6 months (MD 0.21, 95% CI [–0.17,0.60], I2 = 0%; p = 0.280) and change in ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) at 3 months (OR 0.59, 95% CI [–0.12,1.30], I2 = 0%, p = 0.101) and 6 months (OR 0.28, 95% CI [–0.50,1.06], I2 = 0%, p = 0.479) in comparison to the control groups, though not to a level of statistical significance. Riluzole resulted in fewer adverse events than the control groups (OR −0.12, 95% CI [–1.59,1.35], I2 = 0%, p = 0.874) and lower mortality (OR −0.20, 95% CI [–1.03,0.63], I2 = 0%, p = 0.640), though also not to a level of statistical significance. These meta-analyses suggest that riluzole for the treatment of traumatic SCI is safe and results in improved neurological outcomes when compared to controls, though not to a level of statistical significance. More robust prospective, randomized studies are necessary to help inform the safety and efficacy of riluzole for traumatic SCI.
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spelling doaj-art-58605ae3abe44cd28ece63e2e7b4f1702025-08-20T01:50:52ZengMary Ann LiebertNeurotrauma Reports2689-288X2024-11-015111712710.1089/neur.2023.0114Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-AnalysesLuke J. Weisbrod0Thomas T. Nilles-Melchert1Judith R. Bergjord2Daniel L. Surdell3Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.Health Sciences Library, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a cause of significant morbidity, often resulting in long-term disability. We aimed to compare outcomes after riluzole versus patients who received placebo or standard of care with no specific intervention. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library database searches yielded 92 records, and five met the study inclusion criteria. Fixed-effect and random-effects models were used to establish odds ratios (ORs) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each outcome. The results of the pooled analysis showed that in patients with acute traumatic SCI, riluzole resulted in increased American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor scores at 3 months (MD 0.26, 95% CI [–0.10,0.61], I2 = 0%; p = 0.157) and 6 months (MD 0.21, 95% CI [–0.17,0.60], I2 = 0%; p = 0.280) and change in ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) at 3 months (OR 0.59, 95% CI [–0.12,1.30], I2 = 0%, p = 0.101) and 6 months (OR 0.28, 95% CI [–0.50,1.06], I2 = 0%, p = 0.479) in comparison to the control groups, though not to a level of statistical significance. Riluzole resulted in fewer adverse events than the control groups (OR −0.12, 95% CI [–1.59,1.35], I2 = 0%, p = 0.874) and lower mortality (OR −0.20, 95% CI [–1.03,0.63], I2 = 0%, p = 0.640), though also not to a level of statistical significance. These meta-analyses suggest that riluzole for the treatment of traumatic SCI is safe and results in improved neurological outcomes when compared to controls, though not to a level of statistical significance. More robust prospective, randomized studies are necessary to help inform the safety and efficacy of riluzole for traumatic SCI.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/neur.2023.0114riluzolespinal cord injurytrauma
spellingShingle Luke J. Weisbrod
Thomas T. Nilles-Melchert
Judith R. Bergjord
Daniel L. Surdell
Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
Neurotrauma Reports
riluzole
spinal cord injury
trauma
title Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
title_full Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
title_fullStr Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
title_full_unstemmed Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
title_short Safety and Efficacy of Riluzole in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses
title_sort safety and efficacy of riluzole in traumatic spinal cord injury a systematic review with meta analyses
topic riluzole
spinal cord injury
trauma
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/neur.2023.0114
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