Table 2. GRADE assessment.
Explanations: aA funnel plot reveals asymmetrical distribution of studies when adjusted by weight; bConfidence interval crosses the null value
GRADE: Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation RR: risk ratios
| Outcomes | Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | № of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | |
| Risk with restrictive transfusion | Risk with liberal transfusion | ||||
| All-cause mortality | 273 per 1000 | 259 per 1000 (226 to 292) | RR 0.95 (0.83 to 1.07) | 2576 (6 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderatea |
| Any infections | 396 per 1000 | 396 per 1000 (356 to 443) | RR 1.00 (0.90 to 1.12) | 2599 (6 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |
| Venous thromboembolic events | 57 per 1000 | 74 per 1000 (48 to 115) | RR 1.30 (0.84 to 2.02) | 2532 (5 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |
| Acute respiratory distress syndrome | 49 per 1000 | 66 per 1000 (41 to 106) | RR 1.36 (0.84 to 2.19) | 2532 (5 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |
| Unfavorable neurological outcome | 614 per 1000 | 564 per 1000 (515 to 620) | RR 0.92 (0.84 to 1.01) | 2478 (5 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |
| Length of hospital stay | - | MD 2.43 lower (6.73 lower to 1.87 higher) | - | 925 (3 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |
| ICU mortality | 158 per 1000 | 117 per 1000 (44 to 301) | RR 0.74 (0.28 to 1.91) | 847 (3 studies) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderateb |