Does endoscopic sphincterotomy reduce the recurrence rate of cholangitis in patients with cholangitis and suspected of a common bile duct stone not detected by ERCP?

Background: It has not been established whether endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) prevents subsequent cholangitis in patients with cholangitis and with a common bile duct (CBD) stone not documented by ERCP. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ES on the recurrence of cholangitis in patients with a high probability of having a CBD stone, not demonstrated by ERCP. Design and Patients: A total of 117 patients who were diagnosed as having cholangitis and a high probability of a CBD stone, not detected by ERCP, were retrospectively reviewed. Cumulative recurrence rates of cholangitis were compared for treatments with and without ES. Setting: Multicenter, retrospective study. Interventions: ES. Main Outcome Measurements: Cumulative recurrence of cholangitis after ERCP. Results: Eighty-three patients underwent ES (ES group) and 34 patients did not (non-ES group). No statistically significant differences between the 2 groups were evident in terms of demographic factors or laboratory findings. The mean (standard deviation) follow-up was 22.1 ± 17.2 months (range 3-66 months) in the ES group and 23.3 ± 14.9 months (range 6-84 months) in the non-ES group (P = .72). The cumulative rates of cholangitis were 6.3% (4.8% vs 9.9%) at 1 year, 15.6% (9.2% vs 29.3%) at 3 years, and 19.5% (9.2% vs 52.9%) at 5 years for ES vs non-ES groups, respectively (P = .04). By multivariate analysis, ES reduced cholangitis recurrence, with a hazard ratio of 0.305 (95% CI 0.095-0.975, P = .045). Limitations: Retrospective study. Conclusions: ES reduced further episodes of cholangitis in patients with an episode of cholangitis and a high probability of choledocholithiasis, despite the lack of a CBD stone seen on ERCP.