This is topic How NOT To Read Study Conclusions in forum General Support at LymeNet Flash.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/3/35951

Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
IDSA/CDC have a long time horrible habit of writing something stupid about Lyme (for whatever benefit to them and their suck ups) and tossing a bunch of fancy named articles (many they wrote themselves) into a list to try to support their stupidity.

You've got to read the actual studies to get closer to the truth of the matter. And it isn't always the truth you'll get, but sometimes you'll get CLOSER to it.

IDSA/CDC uses this study below as support to claim the standard dose of oral doxy is just as good as IV antibiotics in addressing serious neuro Lyme. It concludes...

"The results indicate that oral doxycycline is an effective treatment for Lyme neuroborreliosis irrespective of the severity of symptoms."

The ONLY one benefitting from this conclusion is the insurance company that is suppose to be footing the bills (and the CDC/IDSA for any kickbacks they may be getting).

The CDC/IDSA counts on you, the patient, and regular doctors to NOT read the actual studies to come to your own conclusion as they spoon feed you this kind of garbage.

Pay close attention to the sentence JUST ABOVE the "Conclusion" section.

Eur J Neurol. 2014 Sep;21(9):1162-7. doi: 10.1111/ene.12420. Epub 2014 Mar 29.

Oral doxycycline for Lyme neuroborreliosis with symptoms of encephalitis, myelitis, vasculitis or intracranial hypertension.
Bremell D1, Dotevall L.

Author information

1Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

The treatment recommendation for Lyme neuroborreliosis with central nervous system (CNS) symptoms is intravenous ceftriaxone, according to current American and European guidelines.

For Lyme neuroborreliosis with peripheral nervous system (PNS) symptoms, treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone and oral doxycycline is considered equally effective.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral doxycycline in the treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis with CNS symptoms.

METHODS:

Patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis who had undergone cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling before and after treatment at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, during the period 1990-2012, were included in this retrospective study.

The CSF mononuclear cell count was used as a surrogate marker of treatment outcome.

Comparisons of CSF mononuclear cell counts were made between patients with CNS symptoms and patients with PNS symptoms before and after treatment with oral doxycycline.

RESULTS:

Twenty-six patients classified as having CNS symptoms and 115 patients classified as having PNS symptoms were included.

The decline in CSF mononuclear cell counts did not differ significantly between the two groups of patients.

LOOK HERE **** All patients with CNS disease showed a marked clinical improvement after treatment, even though 62% had remaining symptoms at the end of follow-up. ****

CONCLUSION:

Treatment with oral doxycycline resulted in a similar decrease in CSF mononuclear cell counts in patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis with CNS symptoms compared with patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis with PNS symptoms.

The results indicate that oral doxycycline is an effective treatment for Lyme neuroborreliosis irrespective of the severity of symptoms.

© 2014 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2014 EAN.
 
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
So, the conclusion said...

"The results indicate that oral doxycycline is an effective treatment for Lyme neuroborreliosis irrespective of the severity of symptoms."

But the study actual said...

"All patients with CNS disease showed a marked clinical improvement after treatment, even though 62% had remaining symptoms at the end of follow-up."

So, translated they are saying- oral doxy works really well on the worst of Lyme symptoms, but a whopping 62% of patients remained sick after treatment.

As one of the 62% remaining sick, I don't think Doxy is "an effective treatment for Lyme neuroborreliosis", not at all.

How about you?
 
Posted by droid1226 (Member # 34930) on :
 
Even if they consider 38% a success, the MAIN purpose of this study was to funnel Dr's to prescribe doxy over IV Rocephin. Just so happens that Doxy had increased in price by 3000% the previous year, 2013.

No mention of how long doxy was administered.

No mention of the 115 patient results with PNS lyme.

They only mention the 26 CNS patients. Which, BTW is a very small sample size for the fastest growing infectious disease on the planet. We can only assume that the 115 patients who only had physical symptoms had an even lower success rate.

Lol
 
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
 
Does that mean that 62 percent of patients treated with IV rocephin had symptoms after treatment?

If so that paper is hiding something more than the inefficiency of doxycycline.
 
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
Droid and J- good for you. It is nice to know others can see many faulty study conclusions are as egregious as this one. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't just me thinking the worst.

Yes, Droid, the price did skyrocket. Good catch! They cut off their nose to spite their face.
 


Powered by UBB.classic™ 6.7.3