Methods of Conservative Antibiotic Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Appendicitis: A Systematic Review

Background Meta-analyses and a recent guideline acknowledge that conservative management of uncomplicated appendicitis with antibiotics can be successful for patients who wish to avoid surgery. However, guidance as to specific management does not exist. Methods PUBMED and EMBASE search of trials describing methods of conservative treatment was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Results Thirty-four studies involving 2944 antibiotic-treated participants were identified. The greatest experience with conservative treatment is in persons 5-50 years of age. In most trials, imaging was employed to confirm localized appendicitis without evidence of abscess, phlegmon, or tumor. Antibiotics regimens were generally consistent with intra-abdominal infection treatment guidelines and used for 7-10 days. Approaches ranged from 3-day hospitalization on parenteral agents to same-day hospital or ED discharge of stable patients with outpatient oral antibiotics. Minimal time allowed before response was evaluated varied from 8-72 hours. Although pain was a common criterion for non-response and appendectomy, analgesic regimens were poorly described. Trials differed in use of other response indicators, i.e., WBC, CRP, and re-imaging. Diet ranged from restriction for 48 hours to as tolerated. Initial response rates were generally >90% and most improved by 24-48 hours, with no related severe sepsis or deaths. In most studies, appendectomy was recommended for recurrence, however, in several, patients had antibiotic retreatment with success. Conclusion While further investigation of conservative treatment is ongoing, patients considering this approach should be advised and managed according to study methods and related guidelines to promote informed shared decision-making and optimize their chance of similar outcomes as described in published trials. Future studies that address biases associated with enrollment and response evaluation, employ best-practice pain control and antibiotic selection, and explore longer time thresholds for response, minimized diet restriction and hospital stays, and antibiotic re-treatment will further our understanding of the potential effectiveness of conservative management. Study Type Systematic review Level of Evidence Level II This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. All authors are faculty of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA Correspondence to: David A. Talan, MD, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, 14445 Olive View Drive, North Annex, Sylmar, CA 91342, Phone: 747-210-3107, Fax: 747-210-3268. Email: dtalan@ucla.edu. Funding: No funding supported this article. © 2018 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

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