Quality-of-Life and Recurrence Outcomes Following Laparoscopic Elective Sigmoid Resection vs Conservative Treatment Following Diverticulitis Prespecified 2-Year Analysis of the LASER Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE Both elective sigmoid resection and conservative treatment are options for patients with recurrent, complicated, or persistent painful diverticulitis; understanding outcomes following each can help inform decision-making.OBJECTIVE To compare outcomes of elective sigmoid resection and conservative treatment for patients with recurrent, complicated, or persistent painful diverticulitis at 2-year follow-up.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This multicenter parallel open-label individually randomized clinical trial comparing elective sigmoid resection to conservative treatment in patients with recurrent, complicated, or persistent painful diverticulitis was carried out in 5 Finnish hospitals between September 2014 and October 2018. Follow-up up to 2 years is reported. Of 85 patients randomized and included, 75 and 70 were available for QOL outcomes at 1 year and 2 years, respectively, and 79 and 78 were available for the recurrence outcome at 1 year and 2 years, respectively. The present analysis was conducted from September 2015 to June 2022.INTERVENTIONS Laparoscopic elective sigmoid resection vs conservative treatment (patient education and fiber supplementation).MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Prespecified secondary outcomes included Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) score, complications, and recurrences within 2 years.RESULTS Ninety patients (28 male [31%]; mean [SD] age, 54.11 [11.9] years and 62 female [69%]; mean [SD] age, 57.13 [7.6] years) were randomized either to elective sigmoid resection or conservative treatment. After exclusions, 41 patients in the surgery group and 44 in the conservative group were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. Eight patients (18%) in the conservative treatment group underwent sigmoid resection within 2 years. The mean GIQLI score at 1 year was 9.51 points higher in the surgery group compared to the conservative group (mean [SD], 118.54 [17.95] vs 109.03 [19.32]; 95% CI, 0.83-18.18; P = .03), while the mean GIQLI score at 2 years was similar between the groups. Within 2 years, 25 of 41 patients in the conservative group (61%) had recurrent diverticulitis compared to 4 of 37 patients in the surgery group (11%). Four of 41 patients in the surgery group (10%) and 2 of 44 in the conservative group (5%) had major postoperative complications within 2 years. In per-protocol analyses, the mean (SD) GIQLI score was higher in the surgery group compared to the conservative treatment group by 11.27 points at 12 months (119.42 [17.98] vs 108.15 [19.28]; 95% CI, 2.24-20.29; P = .02) and 10.43 points at 24 months (117.24 [15.51] vs 106.82 [18.94]; 95% CI, 1.52-19.33; P = .02).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this randomized clinical trial, elective sigmoid resection was effective in preventing recurrent diverticulitis and improved quality of life over conservative treatment within 2 years.