WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis, quality of life (QOL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are improved following laparoscopic surgery versus conservative treatment, according to a review published in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Caroline S. Andeweg, M.D., Ph.D., from St. Jansdal in Harderwijk, Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of QOL and PROs after conservative versus surgical treatment for uncomplicated diverticulitis. They defined eight PROs, which were graded according to clinical relevance. Data were included from 21 studies with 1,858 patients; all studies had a high risk of bias.
The researchers found that for gastrointestinal symptoms or general QOL, there were no head-to-head comparisons between elective surgical versus conservative treatment of recurrent diverticulitis. Patients had higher QOL scores after elective laparoscopic resection than conservative treatment based on Short-Form 36 scores (73.4 versus 58.1, respectively). In all cohorts and in one trial comparing treatments, the proportion of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms was lower after laparoscopic surgery than conservative treatment (9 versus 36 percent; odds ratio, 0.35). The proportion of patients with chronic abdominal pain was 11 and 38 percent after elective laparoscopy and conservative treatment, respectively.
"On the basis of a systematic review and meta-analysis, patients have better QOL and fewer symptoms after laparoscopic surgery versus conservative treatment," the authors write.
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