Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
-
To evaluate the heterogeneity in the definition of delirium in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in meta-analyses of delirium in intensive care units (ICUs) and to explore whether intervention effect depends on the definition used. ⋯ The definition of delirium was heterogeneous across RCTs, with one-fifth not reporting how they evaluated delirium. We did not find a significant association with intervention effect in the primary analysis. The secondary analysis including more studies revealed significantly larger intervention effects in trials using a non-validated versus a validated definition.
-
Propofol is one of the most widely used hypnotic agents in the world. Nonetheless, propofol might have detrimental effects on clinically relevant outcomes, possibly due to inhibition of other interventions' organ protective properties. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate if propofol reduced survival compared to any other hypnotic agent in any clinical setting. ⋯ Propofol may reduce survival in perioperative and critically ill patients. This needs careful assessment of the risk versus benefit of propofol compared to other agents while planning for large, pragmatic multicentric randomized controlled trials to provide a definitive answer.
-
Meta Analysis
Tracheostomy timing and outcome in critically ill patients with stroke: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.
Stroke patients requiring mechanical ventilation often have a poor prognosis. The optimal timing of tracheostomy and its impact on mortality in stroke patients remains uncertain. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of tracheostomy timing and its association with reported all-cause overall mortality. Secondary outcomes were the effect of tracheostomy timing on neurological outcome (modified Rankin Scale, mRS), hospital length of stay (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS. ⋯ In this meta-analysis of over 17,000 critically ill stroke patients, the timing of tracheostomy was not associated with mortality, neurological outcomes, or ICU/hospital LOS.
-
Current practice guidelines for optimal infusion rates during early intravenous hydration in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) remain inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare treatment outcomes between aggressive and non-aggressive intravenous hydration in severe and non-severe AP. ⋯ Aggressive intravenous hydration increased the mortality risk in severe AP, and fluid-related complication risk in both severe and non-severe AP. More conservative intravenous fluid resuscitation protocols for AP are suggested.
-
Meta Analysis
The outcome of IV vitamin C therapy in patients with sepsis or septic shock: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
To update a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and further explore the outcome of IV vitamin C (IVVC) administration in sepsis or septic shock patients. ⋯ In this meta-analysis, IVVC in sepsis or septic shock patients significantly improved delta SOFA score and reduced the duration of vasopressor use, whereas it was not associated with reduction in short-term mortality and had higher adverse events.