ReviewWorld journal of emergency surgery : WJES2015
Antibiotics alone versus appendectomy to treat uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adults: what do meta-analyses say?
Review in World journal of emergency surgery : WJES, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Are the immature granulocyte count and percentage important in continue medical treatment in acute appendicitis? A prospective, randomized, and controlled study.Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES · 2022Trial
- Medical Versus Surgical Management of Acute Appendicitis in a Regional Hospital in South Africa: A Six-Year Review.World journal of surgery · 2026Article
- Oral antibiotic therapy without hospitalization in uncomplicated acute appendicitis: long-term results from a retrospective cohort study.International journal of colorectal disease · 2025Article
- Review
- Relative CT number of periappendiceal fat stranding may be an applicable index for estimating the severity of acute appendicitis.The British journal of radiology · 2021Article
- Prospective validation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a diagnostic and management adjunct in acute appendicitis.Irish journal of medical science · 2018Article
- Laparoscopic appendectomy vs antibiotic therapy for acute appendicitis: a propensity score-matched analysis from a multicenter cohort study.Updates in surgery · 2017Article
- The immune impact of mimic endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy and appendectomy on rabbits of acute appendicitis.Oncotarget · 2017Article
- Long-Term Results Following Antibiotic Treatment of Acute Appendicitis in Adults.World journal of surgery · 2017Article
- Mortality Related to Appendectomy; a Population Based Analysis over Two Decades in Finland.World journal of surgery · 2017Article
- Acute appendicitis: Epidemiology, treatment and outcomes- analysis of 16544 consecutive cases.World journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2016Article
- How to improve the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis in resource limited settings.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2016Review
- International normalized ratio and serum C-reactive protein are feasible markers to predict complicated appendicitis.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrimary appendectomy is the current standard of care for treating uncomplicated acute appendicitis, but interest in conservative treatment with antibiotics alone has been increasing in recent years. Clinical trials so far have shown controversial results.
methodsA series of meta-analyses were reviewed. Studies comparing surgery versus antibiotics alone for treating uncomplicated acute appendicitis in adults were included. Descriptive statistics and data on treatment effects were retrieved and summarized.
resultsThe conservative approach has a success rate of around 60 % and is associated with shorter pain duration, reduced analgesic medication, faster resolution of the inflammation process, lower expenses and quicker return to work. On the other hand, medical treatment leads to high (up to 20 %) readmission rates and more often requires surgery. An operative approach is associated with higher treatment success rates (>90 %) and very a low mortality rate.
conclusionBased on the current body of evidence, the use of antibiotics for primary treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis cannot be routinely recommended. Appendectomy remains the gold-standard treatment.
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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.