SynthesisTechniques in coloproctology2021
Heterogeneity in outcome selection, definition and measurement in studies assessing the treatment of cryptoglandular anal fistula: findings from a systematic review.
Synthesis in Techniques in coloproctology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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.
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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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effectiveness of Laser-Based Fistula Therapies with and without Adjunctive Measures in Anal Fistulas Management: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis.International journal of colorectal disease · 2025Pooled it
- Observational
- Cross-cultural validation and reliability of the Turkish version of the anal fistula quality of life scale for cryptoglandular anal fistula.Techniques in coloproctology · 2026Article
- Cryptoglandular Anal Fistula Core Outcome Measurement Set (AFCOMS): standardised definitions and measurement instruments.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- The Songdo consensus: Development of minimum reporting standards for studies of intervention in idiopathic anal fistula using a modified nominal group technique.Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2025Article
- Outcomes and outcome measurement instruments in lower-limb lengthening surgery: a scoping review to inform core outcome set development.Acta orthopaedica · 2024Article
- Development of a new patient-reported outcome measure for complex cryptoglandular fistulas (20-Item complex cryptoglandular fistula questionnaireJournal of patient-reported outcomes · 2024Article
- The development of a cryptoglandular anal fistula quality of life scale (AF-QoL).Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2024Article
- Article
- Surgery of Simple and Complex Anal Fistulae in Adults: A Review of the Literature for Optimal Surgical Outcomes.Cureus · 2023Review
- Article
- Do Patient-Reported Quality-of-Life (QoL) Scales Provide an Adequate Assessment of Patients with Cryptoglandular Anal Fistulae? A Systematic Review of Measurement Instruments and Their Content Validity.Clinics and practice · 2022Review
- Emerging Data on Fistula Laser Closure (FiLaC) for the Treatment of Perianal Fistulas; Patient Selection and Outcomes.Clinical and experimental gastroenterology · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTreatment for cryptoglandular anal fistula (AF) is challenging and a lack of uniform outcomes in the literature prevents direct comparison of treatments. This can be addressed by developing a core outcome set, a standardised set of outcomes reported in all interventional studies for a specific condition. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the range of outcomes, their definitions, and the measurement instruments currently utilised in interventional studies for adult patients with AF. This will inform the development of an AF core outcome set.
methodsMedline, Embase and The Cochrane Library were searched to identify all patient- and clinician-reported outcomes in studies assessing medical, surgical or combination treatment of adult patients with AF published from January 2008 to May 2020. The resulting outcomes were categorized according to the Core Outcome Measurement in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) taxonomy to better understand their distribution.
resultsIn total, 155 studies were included, 552 outcomes were extracted, with a median of three outcomes (interquartile range 2-5) per study. Only 25% of studies demonstrated high-quality outcome reporting. The outcomes were merged into 52 unique outcomes and structured into four core areas and 14 domains, with the majority in the domain of physiological or clinical (gastrointestinal) outcomes. The most commonly reported outcomes were healing (77%), incontinence (63%), and recurrence (40%), with no single outcome assessed across all studies. There was a wide variation in outcome definitions and measurement instruments used.
conclusionsThere is substantial heterogeneity in outcomes, definitions, and measurement instruments reported in interventional studies for cryptoglandular anal fistula. This emphasises the need for standardised outcome reporting and measurement.
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