rhBMP in lumber fusion for lumbar spondylolisthesis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To compare the efficacy and safety of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP) and iliac crest autograft in the fusion treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.

The studies using randomized controlled trials to compare the rhBMP with iliac crest autograft in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis were retrieved from Embase, Pubmed, ProQuest dissertations & theses (PQDT), China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Database, Wanfang Data, Cochrane Library (from March 1998 to March 2018). Postoperative fusion rate, clinical success rate, postoperative intervertebral height, complications, operation time, blood loss and duration of hospitalization were chosen as the outcome indicators. Methodological quality of the trials was critically assessed, and relevant data were extracted. Statistical software Revman 5.3 was used for data-analysis.

Eleven articles were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that, comparing the efficacy of rhBMP with iliac crest autograft, statistical significance was found in the 24-month fusion rate post operation [95% CI (1.38, 24.70), p = 0.02] and operation time [95% CI (-14.22, -2.08), p = 0.008]. There is not sufficient evidence for statistical differences in the remaining indicators.

The current literature shows rhBMP is a safe and effective grafting material in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis. Further evidence is dependent on the emergence of more randomized controlled trials with higher quality and larger sample sizes in the future.