ReviewGastroenterology and hepatology from bed to bench2022
Prevalence of anal fistulas: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in Gastroenterology and hepatology from bed to bench, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of stem cell treatment of anal fistulas.Techniques in coloproctology · 2025Pooled it
- Comparison of clinical outcomes of anal fistula plug and endoanal advancement flap repair treating the complex anal fistula: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Updates in surgery · 2023Pooled it
- Comparative analysis of early and late recurrence rates in perianal fistula surgery.Experimental and therapeutic medicine · 2026Article
- Quality and content evaluation of anal fistula information on TikTok and Bilibili: A cross-sectional study.Medicine · 2026Article
- Five-year trends in proctological practice in Dubai: Insights from a high-volume referral centre.BMC surgery · 2026Article
- Ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tractWorld journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2026Article
- Spectrum and Management of Anorectal Disorders: A Retrospective Analysis From the United Arab Emirates.Cureus · 2026Article
- Risk factors for postoperative adverse outcomes in patients with high anal fistula undergoing modified TROPIS procedure combined with Parks' fistulotomy with seton: a retrospective study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Accurate Localization of the Internal Opening in a Cryptoglandular Anal Fistula: Complementary Roles of Goodsall's Rule, MRI, and Intraoperative Assessment: A Case Report.Case reports in surgery · 2026Article
- A Pilot Study of Porcine Acellular Bladder Matrix Filling in the Treatment of Anal Fistulas: A Single-Center Cohort Study.ANZ journal of surgery · 2025Article
- Ultrasound assessment of low type intersphincteric perianal fistulas in Yemen.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Laser fistula treatment: beyond the controversial aspects: best clinical practice recommendations from an international group of surgeons with extensive experience in the procedure-the FiLaC recommendations.Techniques in coloproctology · 2025Review
- Surgical trainee education in benign anorectal disease: a scoping review.Surgery open science · 2025Review
- Mid- and long-term functional outcomes of advancement flap for cryptoglandular perianal fistulas.Techniques in coloproctology · 2025Article
- Modified anal sphincter suspension improves anal function in patients with anal fistula.American journal of translational research · 2024Article
- Causal Link between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Fistula: Evidence from Mendelian Randomization Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Anal fistula refers to a clinical condition with local pain and inflammation associated with purulent discharge that affects the quality of life. Due to the lack of studies, the presence of bias, and high heterogeneity in the studies, the present systematic review is the first to be performed on the population-based database in this field. The present systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to MOOSE guidelines. After systematic searching in electronic databases, only four articles met the inclusion criteria. After preparing a checklist and extracting data from the relevant articles, a meta-analysis was performed. All studies on the prevalence of anal fistula are related to Europe, and so far, no study has been conducted on other continents. The overall prevalence of anal fistula in European countries was 18.37 (95% CI: 18.20-18.55%) per 100,000 individuals, and the highest prevalence was reported for Italy (23.20 (95% CI: 22.82 to 23.59) per 100,000 people). From the present population-based (224,097,362) study results, it can be concluded that there is a prominent knowledge gap in this context. Because all the studies included in the current study relate only to Europe, the need for further research in this field in other countries is inevitably sensible.
Indexed as
Identifiers
35611255PMC9123633W4285742576What OpenQuestion holds
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.