A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials on the Prevention and Treatment of Pouchitis after Ileoanal Pouch Anastomosis

Background This systematic review explored different medications and methods for prevention and treatment of pouchitis after restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA).Methods PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for randomized clinical trials that assessed prevention or treatment of pouchitis. The systematic review was reported in line with updated 2020 PRISMA guidelines. Risk of bias in the trials included was assessed using the ROB-2 tool and certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. The main outcomes were the incidence of new pouchitis episodes in the preventative studies and resolution or improvement of active pouchitis in the treatment studies.Results Fifteen randomized trials were included. A meta-analysis of 7 trials on probiotics revealed significantly lower odds of pouchitis with the use of probiotics (RR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.16-0.42, I-2 = 20%, p < 0.001) and similar odds of adverse effects to placebo (RR: 2.43, 95% CI: 0.11-55.9, I-2 = 0, p = 0.579). One trial investigated the prophylactic role of allopurinol in preventing pouchitis and found a comparable incidence of pouchitis in the two groups (31% vs 28%; p = 0.73). Seven trials assessed different treatments for active pouchitis. One recorded the resolution of pouchitis in all patients treated with ciprofloxacin versus 67% treated with metronidazole. Both budesonide enema and oral metronidazole were associated with similar significant improvement in pouchitis (58.3% vs 50%, p = 0.67). Rifaximin, adalimumab, fecal microbiota transplantation, and bismuth carbomer foam enema were not effective in treating pouchitis.Conclusions Probiotics are effective in preventing pouchitis after IPAA. Antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin and metronidazole, are likely effective in treating active pouchitis.

Automated summary

Probiotics are effective in preventing pouchitis after IPAA, while antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and metronidazole are likely effective in treating active pouchitis.