SynthesisInternational journal of colorectal disease2009
Sham feed or sham? A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials assessing the effect of gum chewing on gut function after elective colorectal surgery.
Synthesis in International journal of colorectal disease, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effect of chewing gum on clinical outcomes and postoperative recovery in adult patients after gastrointestinal surgery: an umbrella review.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Meta-analysis comparing chewing gum versus standard postoperative care after colorectal resection.Oncotarget · 2016Pooled it
- Chewing gum for enhancing early recovery of bowel function after caesarean section.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Chewing gum for postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Adoption of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) strategies for colorectal surgery at academic teaching hospitals and impact on total length of hospital stay.Surgical endoscopy · 2012Pooled it
- Sham Feeding with Chewing Gum in Early Stage of Acute Pancreatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2017Trial
- Effect of Gum Chewing on the Volume and pH of Gastric Contents: A Prospective Randomized Study.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2015Trial
- Factors Related to Oral Intake of Food by Hospitalized Patients with Malnutrition under the Care of a Nutrition Support Team.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Clinical practice guideline for enhanced recovery after colon and rectal surgery from the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).Surgical endoscopy · 2017Article
- Successful implementation of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program shortens length of stay and improves postoperative pain, and bowel and bladder function after colorectal surgery.BMC anesthesiology · 2016Article
- Ileal conduit: standard urinary diversion for elderly patients undergoing radical cystectomy.World journal of urology · 2016Review
- Facilitating return of bowel function after colorectal surgery: alvimopan and gum chewing.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2013Review
- Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols: Time to change practice?Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2011Article
- Critical appraisal of meta-analyses: an introductory guide for the practicing surgeon.Patient safety in surgery · 2009Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeEnhanced recovery programs aim to expedite gut function after elective colorectal surgery. Early oral feeding simulates gut function but is not always feasible. Gum chewing, a form of sham feed, is an alternative. We assessed current evidence for gum chewing and gut function. STUDY
designAll randomized controlled trials (RCTs) between 1990 and 2008 comparing gum chewing with controls/placebo were analyzed irrespective of language, blinding, or publication bias. The Jadad scale was used to assess study quality. Endpoints were time to flatus/feces, postoperative complications, and hospital stay. Random and fixed models were employed to aggregate study endpoints and assess heterogeneity.
resultsSix RCTs containing 256 patients were included. Significant heterogeneity was identified and random effects model was employed. Heterogeneity may be explained through variations in delivery of surgical care. Significant reductions in the time to flatus and time to feces were identified but no significant difference in hospital or in-hospital postoperative complications were found.
conclusionsGum chewing significantly reduced time to flatus and feces; however, hospital stay and postoperative complications were not reduced. Significant study heterogeneity means that these results should be interpreted with caution.
Indexed as
Identifiers
19221765What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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 OpenQuestion graph.