CODA Trial Results & Publications

Results Publications

• A Randomized Trial Comparing Antibiotics with Appendectomy for Appendicitis (October 2020)
  Publication (New England Journal of Medicine)
  Plain Langauge Summary (PDF)
  Infographic: Deciding Between Antibiotics and Surgery for Appendicitis: Findings from the CODA Study (download a PDF version here)
  Short Video Summary (New England Journal of Medicine, requires set-up of free account to view)

  Conclusions: "For the treatment of appendicitis, antibiotics were noninferior to appendectomy on the basis of results of a standard health-status measure. In the antibiotics group, nearly 3 in 10 participants had undergone appendectomy by 90 days. Participants with an appendicolith were at a higher risk for appendectomy and for complications than those without an appendicolith."

Pre-Results Publications

• Comparison of Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial: a protocol for the pragmatic randomised study of appendicitis treatment (November 2017)
  Publication (BMJ Open)

• Methods for Incorporating Stakeholder Engagement into Clinical Trial Design (May 2017)
  Publication (eGEMs)

• Evidence for an Antibiotics-First Strategy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis in Adults: A Systematic Review and Gap Analysis (December 2016)
  Publication (Journal of the American College of Surgeons)

• Engaging Stakeholders in Surgical Research: The Design of a Pragmatic Clinical Trial to Study Management of Acute Appendicitis (June 2016)
  Publication (JAMA)