Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28522949›Full record

ArticleIntestinal research2017

Patients with computed tomography-proven acute diverticulitis require follow-up to exclude colorectal cancer.

Shafquat Zaman, Warren Chapman, Imtiyaz Mohammed, Kathryn Gill, Stephen Thomas Ward

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Intestinal research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Imaging Modalities for Evaluation of Intestinal Obstruction.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2021
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Diverticulitis: An Update From the Age Old Paradigm.Current problems in surgery · 2020
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Shafquat ZamanDepartment of General Surgery, Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, UK.
Warren ChapmanNurse Consultant and Clinical Lead for Endoscopy at City Hospital Endoscopy Unit, Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
Imtiyaz MohammedDepartment of Gastroenterology, Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, UK.
Kathryn GillDepartment of General Surgery, Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, UK.
Stephen Thomas WardDepartment of General Surgery, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Walsgrave, UK.
Sandwell General Hospital · GBSandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust · GBUniversity Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsTraditionally, patients with acute diverticulitis undergo follow-up endoscopy to exclude colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its usefulness has been debated in this era of high-resolution computed tomography (CT) diagnosis. We assessed the frequency and outcome of endoscopic follow-up for patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis, according to the confidence in the CT diagnosis.

methodsRecords of patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis between October 2007 and March 2014 at Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust were retrieved. The National Cancer Registry confirmed the cases of CRC. Endoscopy quality indicators were compared between these patients and other patients undergoing the same endoscopic examination over the same period.

resultsWe identified 235 patients with CT-proven acute diverticulitis, of which, 187 were managed conservatively. The CT report was confident of the diagnosis of acute diverticulitis in 75% cases. Five of the 235 patients were subsequently diagnosed with CRC (2.1%). Three cases of CRC were detected in the 187 patients managed conservatively (1.6%). Forty-eight percent of the conservatively managed patients underwent follow-up endoscopy; one case of CRC was identified. Endoscopies were often incomplete and caused more discomfort for patients with diverticulitis compared with controls.

conclusionsCRC was diagnosed in patients with CT-proven diverticulitis at a higher rate than in screened asymptomatic populations, necessitating follow-up. CT reports contained statements regarding diagnostic uncertainty in 25% cases, associated with an increased risk of CRC. Follow-up endoscopy in patients with CT-proven diverticulitis is associated with increased discomfort and high rates of incompletion. The use of other follow-up modalities should be considered.

Indexed as

Colorectal neoplasmsDiverticulitisEndoscopyFollow-up

Identifiers

PMID28522949
PMCPMC5430011
OpenAlexW2612557729

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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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.