Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40906278›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of pediatrics2025

The efficacy and safety of simethicone for gastrointestinal preparation prior to pediatric endoscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Shen Li, Tian Geng, Zhongyue Li

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Shen Li *Department of Pediatrics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, 322000, China.
Tian Geng *Department of Pediatrics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, 322000, China.
Zhongyue LiDepartment of Pediatrics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, and International School of Medicine, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu, 322000, China. 6195006@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To evaluate the bubble-eliminating efficacy and safety of simethicone when used for gastrointestinal preparation before pediatric endoscopy. We conducted a comprehensive Literature search from inception to April 5, 2025, in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese VIP Information Database, and Wan Fang Med Database. For the quantitative analysis, mean difference (MD) was used to assess continuous outcomes and risk ratio for dichotomous outcomes. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 13 software. Nine studies involving 2188 pediatric patients were included (simethicone group, 1102; no-simethicone group, 1086). Compared to the no-simethicone group, the simethicone group demonstrated significant advantages in multiple outcomes: superior endoscopic visual clarity [RR = 1.34, 95% CI, (1.15, 1.56); z = 3.71, P = 0.0002]; fewer endoscopic flushing events [RR = 0.23, 95%CI, (0.07, 0.77); z = 2.39, P = 0.02]; shorter procedure time [WMD =  - 35.86, 95% CI, (- 69.34, - 2.37); z = 2.10, P = 0.04]. However, no statistically significant difference was observed in adverse events (nausea and vomiting [RR = 1.00, 95% CI, (0.84, 1.18); z = 0.04, P = 0.97]; abdominal distension [RR = 0.76, 95% CI, (0.40, 1.42); z = 0.87, P = 0.38]; abdominal pain [RR = 1.11, 95% CI, (0.75, 1.65); z = 0.54, P = 0.59]); acceptability [RR = 1.48, 95% CI, (0.19, 11.84); z = 0.37, P = 0.71]; compliance [RR = 0.98, 95% CI, (0.77, 1.26); z = 0.13, P = 0.90]; and diagnostic yield [RR = 1.07, 95% CI, (0.92, 1.25); z = 0.91, P = 0.36]. The risk of bias was low with a moderate grade of certainty. Conclusions: Simethicone used before pediatric endoscopy enhanced visualization clarity during gastroscopy and colonoscopy, reduced the number of endoscopic flushing and operative time without increasing postprocedural adverse events, but do not effect diagnostic yield during enteroscopy, medication acceptability, and compliance.

Indexed as

Antifoaming AgentsEndoscopy, GastrointestinalPreoperative CareSimethiconeChildHumansAntifoaming AgentsSimethiconeChildrenDefoaming effectEndoscopyMeta-analysisSimethicone

Identifiers

PMID40906278

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.