| Methods |
Single‐centre RCT (Turkey) |
| Participants |
Quote: "All patients were more than 18 years of age and all were mechanically ventilated. Exclusion criteria were: anticipated duration of catheterization of less than three days; allergy to chlorhexidine, silver or sulphonamides; pregnancy; dermatitis or a burn over the insertion site; and signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis.” |
| Interventions |
C‐SS‐impregnated CVCs versus non‐impregnated CVCs |
| Outcomes |
Catheter colonization and CRBSI |
| Notes |
Sources of funding: not stated |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Quote: “Randomization was performed using a computer‐generated randomization list.” |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
It was not stated how the allocation was performed, and so it was not possible to assess whether random sequence was generated independently of recruitment and allocation |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
There was no specific statement about blinding. However blinding appeared unlikely for the participants and the personnel as the 2 types of catheters differed in appearance, and there was no mention of any measures taken to blind those involved in the study |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
Microbiological outcomes like catheter colonization |
Unclear risk |
It was not stated whether the assessors of the microbiological outcomes were blinded. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
Clinical outcomes like CRBSI |
High risk |
There was no specific statement about blinding. However blinding appeared unlikely for the participants and the personnel as the 2 types of catheters differed in appearance, and there was no mention of any measures taken to blind those involved in the study |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
The authors stated in the Results that no participants were excluded from the study |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
The outcomes specified in the Methods, including catheter colonization and CRBSI, were reported in sufficient detail in the Results. Additionally, the outcome of all‐cause mortality could be extracted from the study, as it was reported as a part of the participant characteristics |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
None identified |
