Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30557392›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2018

Use of C-reactive protein for the early prediction of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy: Systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.

Alberto Aiolfi, Emanuele Asti, Emanuele Rausa, Giulia Bonavina, Gianluca Bonitta, Luigi Bonavina

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

33 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 63 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy.Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus · 2026
    Guideline
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Performance of a consensus-based algorithm for diagnosing anastomotic leak after minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus · 2023
    Trial
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. C-reactive protein and digestive pathologies: A narrative review for daily clinical use.Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences · 2025
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Review
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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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Alberto AiolfiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Emanuele AstiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Emanuele RausaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Giulia BonavinaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Gianluca BonittaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.
Luigi BonavinaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Division of General Surgery, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-4880-1670
University of Milan · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarly suspicion, diagnosis, and timely treatment of anastomotic leak after esophagectomy is essential. Retrospective studies have investigated the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) as early marker of anastomotic leakage. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the predictive value of CRP after esophageal resection.

methodsA literature search was conducted to identify all reports including serial postoperative CRP measurements to predict anastomotic leakage after elective open or minimally invasive esophagectomy. Fully Bayesian meta-analysis was carried out using random-effects model for pooling diagnostic accuracy measures along with CRP cut-off values at different postoperative day.

resultsFive studies published between 2012 and 2018 met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 850 patients were included. Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy was the most common surgical procedure (72.3%) and half of the patients had squamous-cell carcinoma (50.4%). The estimated pooled prevalence of anastomotic leak was 11% (95% CI = 8-14%). The serum CRP level on POD3 and POD5 had comparable diagnostic accuracy with a pooled area under the curve of 0.80 (95% CIs 0.77-0.92) and 0.83 (95% CIs 0.61-0.96), respectively. The derived pooled CRP cut-off values were 17.6 mg/dl on POD 3 and 13.2 mg/dl on POD 5; the negative likelihood ratio were 0.35 (95% CIs 0.096-0.62) and 0.195 (95% CIs 0.04-0.52).

conclusionAfter esophagectomy, a CRP value lower than 17.6 mg/dl on POD3 and 13.2 mg/dl on POD5 combined with reassuring clinical and radiological signs may be useful to rule-out leakage. In the context of ERAS protocols, this may help to avoid contrast radiological studies, anticipate oral feeding, accelerate hospital discharge, and reduce costs.

Indexed as

EsophagectomyAnastomotic LeakBayes TheoremBiomarkersC-Reactive ProteinHumansPostoperative ComplicationsBiomarkersC-Reactive Protein

Identifiers

PMID30557392
PMCPMC6296520
OpenAlexW2903823200

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.