title: Trans-anal irrigation therapy to treat adult chronic functional constipation: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trans-anal irrigation (TAI) is used widely to treat bowel dysfunction, although evidence for its use in adult chronic functional constipation remains unclear. Long-term outcome data are lacking, and the effectiveness of therapy in this patient group is not definitively known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evidence for effectiveness and safety was reviewed and the quality of studies was assessed. Primary research articles of patients with chronic functional constipation, treated with TAI as outpatients and published in English in indexed journals were eligible. Searching included major bibliographical databases and search terms: bowel dysfunction, defecation, constipation and irrigation. Fixed- and random-effect meta-analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven eligible uncontrolled studies, including 254 patients, of retrospective or prospective design were identified. The definition of treatment response varied and was investigator-determined. The fixed-effect pooled response rate (the proportion of patients with a positive outcome based on investigator-reported response for each study) was 50.4 % (95 % CI: 44.3-56.5 %) but featured substantial heterogeneity (I(2) = 67.1 %). A random-effects estimate was similar: 50.9 % (95 % CI: 39.4-62.3 %). Adverse events were inconsistently reported but were commonplace and minor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reported success rate of irrigation for functional constipation is about 50 %, comparable to or better than the response seen in trials of pharmacological therapies. TAI is a safe treatment benefitting some patients with functional constipation, which is a chronic refractory condition. However findings for TAI vary, possibly due to varying methodology and context. Well-designed prospective trials are required to improve the current weak evidence base.
authors.affiliation: Old Trust Headquarters, University Hospital of North Durham, North Road, Durham, DH1 5TW, UK. Christopher.Emmett@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Emmett
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Durham University Queen's Campus, University Boulevard, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 6BH, UK. H.J.Close@durham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Helen J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Close
authors.affiliation: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, North Road, Durham, DH1 5TW, UK. Yan.Yiannakou@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yiannakou
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health, Durham University Queen's Campus, University Boulevard, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 6BH, UK. J.M.Mason@durham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome