1. Estimates of effect for outcomes reported in only one trial.
| Outcome | Trial | Participants | Effect measure |
Estimate of effect (95% CI) |
| Respiratory failure | Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | RR | 0.18 (0.01‐3.56) |
| Oxygen efficiency in PACU (PaO2/FiO2) |
Weingarten 2010 | 40 | Mean difference | 4.8 (‐3.10 to 12.70) |
| Oxygen efficiency day 2 (PaO2/FiO2) |
Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | Mean difference | 22 (‐9.87 to 53.87) |
| Oxygen efficiency day 4 (PaO2/FiO2) |
Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | Mean difference | ‐1 (‐38.79 to 36.79) |
| Mechanical respiratory support | Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | RR | 0.18 (0.01‐3.56) |
| Cardiac complications | Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | RR | 0.30 (0.01‐7.02) |
| LOS in PACU (minutes) | Talab 2009 | 44 | Mean difference |
‐21.05 (favouring PEEP) (‐37.73 to ‐4.37) |
| LOS in hospital (hours) (laparoscopic gastric banding surgery) |
Almarakbi 2009 | 60 | Mean difference |
‐19.9 (favouring PEEP) (‐27 to ‐12.8) |
| LOS in hospital (days) (major abdominal surgery) |
Weingarten 2010 | 40 | Mean difference | 5.31 (‐1.37 to 11.57) |
| LOS in hospital (hours) (open upper abdominal surgery) |
Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | Mean difference |
24 (favouring ZEEP) (18.2‐29.8) |
| ICU admission | Wetterslev 2001 | 40 | RR | 0.45 (0.04‐4.60) |
FiO2 = fraction of inspired oxygen.
ICU = intensive care unit.
LOS = length of stay.
PEEP = positive end‐expiratory pressure.
RR = risk ratio.
PACU = post‐anaesthesia care unit.
PaO2 = partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood.
Bold indicates statistically significant findings.