Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39118327›Full record

ArticleIntestinal research2025

The prevalence of pouch fistulas in ulcerative colitis following restorative proctocolectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sheng Wei Lo, Ishaan Dharia, Danujan Sriranganathan, Maia Kayal, Edward L Barnes, Jonathan P Segal

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Intestinal research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. PAVFCOS: The development of a core outcome set for pouch anal and vaginal fistula.Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Capturing quality of life in pouch anal and vaginal fistula: development of PAVF-QoL-14, a patient-reported outcome measure.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. 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

6 authors.

Sheng Wei LoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Northern Hospital, Epping, Australia.
Ishaan DhariaDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
Danujan SriranganathanDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Maia KayalDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
Edward L BarnesDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Jonathan P SegalDepartment of Gastroenterology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsOne complication of restorative proctocolectomy with ileo-anal pouch anastomosis is fistula formation in the pouch. Fistulas can be associated with significant morbidity and pouch failure. We conducted a systematic review with meta- analysis to try and understand the prevalence of pouch fistulas in patients with ulcerative colitis following restorative proctocolectomy.

methodsThe Embase, Embase Classic, and PubMed databases were searched between January 1979 and April 2022. Studies were included if there were cross-sectional, case-controlled, population-based or cohort studies reporting on prevalence of pouch fistulas in ulcerative colitis. Studies had to report the number of patients with pouch fistulas using either clinical, endoscopic, or radiological diagnosis in an adult population.

resultsThirty-three studies screened met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of developing at least 1 fistula was 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.07). The pooled prevalence of pouch failure in patients with pouch fistula was found to be 0.24 (95% CI, 0.19-0.30). The pooled prevalence of developing a pouch fistula at 3 years, 5 years and more than 5 years was 0.04 (95% CI, 0.02-0.07), 0.05 (95% CI, 0.02-0.07), and 0.05 (95% CI, 0.02-0.10), respectively.

conclusionsThis is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to report the prevalence of pouch fistula. It also provides a pooled prevalence of pouch failure in these patients. These results can help to shape future guidelines, power future studies, and help counsel patients.

Indexed as

FistulaPouchRestorative proctocolectomyUlcerative colitis

Identifiers

PMID39118327
PMCPMC11834361

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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.