Singh 2002.
| Methods | Randomised, controlled study I. Blinding of randomisations ‐ yes II. Blinding of intervention ‐ yes III. Blinding of outcome measure assessment ‐ yes IV. Complete follow‐up‐ yes (see notes) | |
| Participants | 22 preterm infants receiving assisted ventilation and with a serum potassium >/= 6.0 mmol/L. GA at birth ranged from 23 to 27 weeks and their birth weights ranged from 486 to 1330 g. Age at enrolment varied from 2 to 22 days. Three infants were withdrawn from the study, two at the discretion of the attending physicians and another at the request of the parents Urine output (ml/kg/hr) was not reported | |
| Interventions | 8 infants received albuterol inhalation (400 microgram of albuterol in 2 ml of saline solution) administered by the respiratory therapists through a T‐connection inserted at the inspiratory limb of the ventilator tubing at the endotracheal tube ventilator connection by using a 10‐cm tube with an oxygen flow of 6 LPM. Treatment was given every 2 hours until serum K+ levels fell below 5 mmol/L or if the maximum of 12 doses was reached 11 infants received 2 ml of saline solution inhalation in the same fashion | |
| Outcomes | Change in serum K+ from baseline at 4 and 8 hours after treatment Grade 3 or 4 IVH Pulmonary haemorrhage Pneumothorax Dysrhythmia Mortality Tremors/twitching | |
| Notes | Two patients were withdrawn from the saline group and one infant from the albuterol group Treatment with polystyrene sulphonate and/or glucose‐insulin and/or furosemide occurred in 2 patients in the albuterol group and 5 patients in the control group | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Randomised, controlled study |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Blinding of randomisations ‐ yes |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Blinding of intervention ‐ yes Blinding of outcome measure assessment ‐ yes Complete follow‐up ‐ yes (see notes) |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Blinding of intervention ‐ yes |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Blinding of outcome measure assessment ‐ yes |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Complete follow‐up ‐ yes (see notes) |
BW = birth weight g = grams GA = gestational age K+ = serum/plasma potassium IVH = intraventricular haemorrhage VLBW = very low birth weight