Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32874818›Full record

ReviewCureus2020

Appendectomy as a Potential Predisposing Factor for the Development of Recurrent and Fulminant Clostridium Difficile.

Stacey E Heindl, Nicholas Tsouklidis

Open access · diamondAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 31% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Defining FulminantOpen forum infectious diseases · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Mucosal Immunity and the Gut-Microbiota-Brain-Axis in Neuroimmune Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022
    Review
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

2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Stacey E HeindlMedicine, Avalon University School of Medicine, Willemstad, CUW.
Nicholas TsouklidisHealth Care Administration, University of Cincinnati Health, Cincinnati, USA.
California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology (United States) · USCincinnati Health Department · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This literature review assesses how the vermiform appendix has been considered a vestigial organ by many, but over the years, new research has allowed us to reconsider its potential purpose. Studies have indicated that the appendix plays an evident role in immune response and harbors a biofilm that may remain unaffected by gastrointestinal infections, such as infection with Clostridium difficile. Our research analyzes the prominent gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) as a mechanism of defence in infection, as well as the robust biofilm that could aid in the reinoculation of beneficial bacteria within the colon. Furthermore, we wanted to determine if patients who have undergone a prior appendectomy, leading to decreased GALT and a lack of a bacterial reservoir, were predisposed to the development of Clostridium difficile, with particular emphasis in the recurrence and development of fulminant Clostridium difficile infections. Although research continues to be conflicting, there appears to be some connection between these variables, but prospective studies are needed in order to say for certain that there is a link.

Indexed as

appendectomyappendixbiofilmc.diffc.difficileclostridium difficilefulminantgut-associated lymphoid tissueinfectionrecurrent

Identifiers

PMID32874818
PMCPMC7455376
OpenAlexW3082878061

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.