Current medical research and opinion
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Review Meta Analysis
The efficacy and safety of vibrating capsules for functional constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Chronic constipation is a challenging functional gastrointestinal disorder that remains a global burden. Pharmacologic therapy, including laxatives and dietary fibers, are suggested as lines of treatment. Recent trials introduced an orally ingested vibrating capsule (VC) as an eligible option for chronic constipation management. ⋯ VC was not effective to improve bowel movement in patients with functional constipation with no difference in response rate. However, evidence is still uncertain, with only three small RCTs that yielded heterogenous findings, mainly due to the different vibration protocols. Also, our findings suggest that VC is safe and well-tolerated, with no significant harmful effects observed. Therefore, more large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of VC in patients with functional constipation, determining the most effective dose, frequency, and duration of treatment.
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Colonoscopy is the gold standard method for colorectal cancer screening. Looping occurs in 91% of cases undergoing colonoscopy and can cause patient discomfort, prolonged cecal intubation time (CIT), and colon perforation. This meta-analysis investigates the impact of abdominal compression devices (ACD) on colonoscopy outcomes. ⋯ ACD during colonoscopy may enhance patient comfort by reducing CIT, pain, and postural changes. Nevertheless, additional RCTs are necessary to validate these results and determine the most suitable approach to utilize ACD for colonoscopy.