Timing of Performing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography and Inpatient Mortality in Acute Cholangitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES: Although early biliary drainage improves outcomes in patients with acute cholangitis, the optimal time to perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is controversial. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of timing of ERCP on mortality in hospitalized patients with acute cholangitis. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library (until February 2019) for studies evaluating the impact of timing of ERCP (