Five RCTs (n=1,147 patients) were included in the review. Four RCTs had a Jadad score of 3 points and were considered of high quality; one RCT had a Jadad score of 1 point.
Polyethylene glycol was not associated with a significant reduction in the rate of surgical site infection (OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.25; four RCTs), incisional surgical site infection (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.88 to 2.33; five RCTs) or organ/space surgical site infection (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.78; four RCTs).
Polyethylene glycol was also not associated with a significant reduction in anastomotic leak (OR 1.78, 95% CI 0.95 to 3.33; five RCTs), mortality (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.37 to 4.14; four RCTs), infectious complications (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.62 to 2.08; three RCTs; I2=57.6%) or hospital stay (WMD 2.17 days, 95% CI -2.9 to 7.25; two RCTs; I2=91%). Random-effects models were used for the analysis of infectious complications and hospital stay because of substantial heterogeneity.
Polyethylene glycol was associated with a statistically significant higher rate of main complications, which included surgical site infection and anastomotic leak (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.46; four RCTs).
Sensitivity analysis, with the exclusion of the RCT that had a Jadad score of 1 point, did not markedly change the estimates.