Clinical risk factors of delayed gastric emptying in patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background The clinical risk factors of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains controversial. Herein, we conducted a systematic review to quantify the associations between clinical risk factors and DGE in patients after conventional PD or pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD). Methods A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library) for studies published from 1970 to 2012 was performed. Cohort, case–control studies, and randomized controlled trials that examined clinical risk factors of DGE were included. Results Eighteen studies met final inclusion criteria (total n  = 3579). From the pooled analyses, preoperative diabetes (OR 1.49, 95% CI, 1.03–2.17), pancreatic fistulas (OR 2.66, 95% CI, 1.65–4.28), and postoperative complications (OR 4.71, 95% CI, 2.61–8.50) were significantly associated with increased risk of DGE; while patients with preoperative biliary drainage (OR 0.68, 95% CI, 0.48–0.97) and antecolic reconstruction (OR 0.17, 95% CI, 0.07–0.41) had decreased risk of DGE development. Gender, malignant pathology, preoperative jaundice, intra-operative transfusion, PD vs. PPPD and early enteral feeding were not significantly associated with DGE development (all P  > 0.05). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that preoperative diabetes, pancreatic fistulas, and postoperative complications were clinical risk factors predictive for DGE. Antecolic reconstruction and preoperative biliary drainage result in a reduction in DGE. Knowledge of these risk factors may assist in identification and appropriate referral of patients at risk of DGE.