2. Subgroup analyses on length of hospital stay among inpatients.
| Subgroups | Length of hospital stay (days) | ||||
| Trial (n) | Participants (N) | Effect size (MD, 95% CI) | P values | Heterogeneity (I²) | |
| Virological investigation | |||||
| Available Not available |
10 7 |
1179 688 |
‐0.58 (‐1.12 to ‐0.04) ‐0.05 (‐0.24 to 0.13) |
0.03 0.60 |
84% 0% |
| Upper age limits for infants | |||||
| 12 months 18 to 24 months |
6 11 |
609 1258 |
‐0.37 (‐0.79 to 0.04) ‐0.41 (‐0.86 to 0.03) |
0.08 0.07 |
23% 86% |
| Hypertonic saline solution plus bronchodilator | |||||
| β₂ agonist Epinephrine No |
9 5 3 |
1049 356 462 |
‐0.22 (‐0.67 to 0.22) ‐0.65 (‐1.01 to ‐0.30) ‐0.51 (‐1.67 to 0.65) |
0.32 P < 0.001 0.39 |
81% 0% 79% |
| Administration interval* | |||||
| A B |
12 5 |
1375 492 |
‐0.38 (‐0.77 to 0.002) ‐0.51 (‐1.35 to 0.32) |
0.05 0.22 |
75% 88% |
| Hypertonic saline concentration | |||||
| 3% > 3% |
14 3 |
1461 406 |
‐0.49 (‐0.86 to ‐0.13) 0.09 (‐0.65 to 0.85) |
0.01 0.79 |
52% 79% |
| Length of stay in the control group | |||||
| < 3 days ≥ 3 days |
4 13 |
594 1273 |
0.07 (‐0.29 to 0.44) ‐0.59 (‐0.97 to ‐0.20) |
0.69 0.003 |
59% 68% |
| Risk of selection bias | |||||
| Low Unclear/high |
11 6 |
1366 501 |
‐0.37 (‐0.81 to 0.06) ‐0.51 (‐1.02 to 0.004) |
0.09 0.05 |
82% 64% |
| Year of publication | |||||
| Before 2013 2013 and thereafter |
7 10 |
577 1290 |
‐0.98 (‐1.41 to ‐0.55) 0.02 (‐0.15 to 0.20) |
P < 0.001 0.75 |
59% 3% |
Abbreviations: CI: confidence interval; MD: mean difference *A: every 4 to 6 hours; B: every 8 hours