Abstract Background Following a subtotal colectomy for ulcerative colitis (UC), patients may opt to live with a permanent ileostomy or explore restorative options, such as an ileo-anal pouch (IPAA) or an ileo-rectal anastomosis (IRA). The ability to work is a significant determinant of quality of life (QoL), frequently examined within subscales on social functioning, of validated patient reported outcome measure (PROM) instruments, such as the SF-36 and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). The aim of this systematic review was to examine how work-related outcomes, after surgery for UC, have been reported on so far, in addition to creating a longlist of items, to inform the design of future studies. Methods The systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (registration number CRD42024614534) and conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they were reporting on any work-related outcome, following any type of surgery for UC, in adult populations. Results Initial search returned 1586 studies, and after title, abstract and full-text screening,139 studies were included for data extraction. A total of 63 studies reported on the relevant subscales of a validated questionnaire, with 41 studies reporting on the SF-36, 14 on the social function scale of the IBDQ, and 9 on the social handicap subscale of the Oresland score. A total of 74 studies reported on other outcomes, such as work restrictions, employment rates/status, disability pensions and benefits. Five studies reported on outcomes of qualitative interviews. A longlist of reported items was collated, organised in 4 key domains: work restrictions, employment status, time-off work and provisions/support. Conclusion This systematic review demonstrates significant variability in the measurement of work-related outcomes, following surgery for UC, as well as a lack of in-depth understanding of the work life experiences of such patients, justifying the need for further research. The generated longlist provides a rich resource, that will inform the design of a subsequent qualitative (interview-based) study, exploring the lived experiences of this patient population. Conflict of interest: Mr. Argyriou, Orestis: No conflict of interest Ghersin, Itai: No conflict of interest Anand, Easan: No conflict of interest Worley, Guy: No conflict of interest Tozer, Philip: Personal Fees: Takeda - speakers fees, member of Inspire, and advisory boards Ferring - speakers fees Falk - speakers fees Tillott’s - speakers fees J & J - speakers fees Abbvie - speakers fees Hart, Ailsa: Grant: Takeda Personal Fees: Abbvie, Amgen, Arena, AZ, Falk, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Ferring, Genentech/ Roche, GSK, Pfizer, Takeda, Napp, Pharmacosmos, Janssen (J & J), Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead, Galapagos, Alfasigma Sahnan, Kapil: Speaker fees from Takeda, JnJ, Intuitive Ad Board with Medtronic
Argyriou et al. (Thu,) studied this question.