Table 1.

Summary of topics and PICO questions

Topic	Question	Combination of words
Initial assessment and Diagnosis	Q.1: In patients with suspected complicated IBD, which are the appropriate biochemical investigations that should be performed?	“Crohn”, “Ulcerative colitis”, “abdominal pain”, “emergency”, “biochemical”, “laboratory”, “markers”, “investigation”; “test”; “metabolic panel”
Initial assessment and Diagnosis	Q.2: In patients with a suspected complicated IBD, which are the appropriate imaging studies that should be performed in the emergency setting?	“Crohn”; “Ulcerative colitis”; “emergency”; “radiology”; “computed tomography”; magnetic resonance”; ultrasonography”; “peritonitis”; abscess”; “occlusion”
Non operative management and preoperative assessment	Q.3: Which is the role of interventional radiology in the management of intra-abdominal abscesses related to Crohn’s disease in the emergency setting?	“Crohn"; “abscess”; “stricture”; “drainage”; “antibiotics”; “surgery”; “emergency”; “ulcerative colitis”
Preoperative management	Q.4: In patients presenting with complications related to IBD, what is the appropriate medical treatment and nutritional support? -The role of medical treatment and management of specific IBD drugs -The role of nutritional support	“Crohn”; "Ulcerative Colitis"; Nutritional support”; “immunosuppression”; “steroids”; “biologics”; “medical treatment” antibiotics”; “emergency”; “preoperative”; “postoperative”; “surgery”
Non-operative vs Operative management Clinical setting: -Acute severe ulcerative colitis; -Toxic megacolon; -Uncontrolled bleeding; -Free perforation; -Intestinal obstruction	Q.5: What are the indications for emergency surgery in patients presenting with complications related to IBD?	“Crohn”; "ulcerative colitis”; “toxic megacolon”; “upper gastrointestinal bleeding”;”peritonitis”; “perforation”; “occlusion”; “obstruction”;”emergency”; “surgery”; “indications”;”radiolology”;”angio-embolisation”; “computed tomography”;”angiography”, "lower gastrointestinal bleeding", "non operative management"
Surgical management	Q.6: Which surgical approach is recommended for complicated IBD in the emergency setting?	“Acute severe ulcerative colitis”; “intestinal bleeding”;”hemorrage”;“Crohn”; “anastomosis”; “laparoscopy”; “open”; “non operative management”; peritonitis”; “occlusion”; “perforation”; “toxic megacolon”; minimally invasive tecnique”; “emergency”;”damage control”;”open abdomen”
Surgical management	Q.7: How to manage perianal sepsis in the emergency setting?	“perianal”; “abscess”; “fistula”; “sepsis”;”antimicrobial”; “medical treatment”; “surgery”;”emergency”, "Crohn"