Table 3.
Selected trial characteristics, including largest proportion of surgical type received by recruited patients in each trial. Values are numbers (percentages)
| Characteristic | Randomised controlled trials (n=112) |
|---|---|
| Only patients aged ≥65 years | 4 (4) |
| >200 participants | 23 (21) |
| Baseline ARISCAT score ≥26 (intermediate or high predictive risk of PPC) | 8 (7) |
| Type of surgery | |
| Laparoscopic surgical technique | 9 (8) |
| Laparotomy or otherwise open surgical technique | 96 (86) |
| Lower abdominal surgery (eg, colonic resection) | 51 (46) |
| Upper abdominal surgery (eg, oesophagectomy, sleeve gastrectomy) | 16 (14) |
| Vascular surgery (eg, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair) | 12 (11) |
| Thoracic surgery (eg, lobectomy, video assisted thoracoscopy) | 24 (21) |
| Orthopaedic surgery (eg, spinal surgery, hip fracture repair) | 7 (6) |
| Maxillofacial surgery (major head and neck surgery with tracheostomy) | 1 (1) |
| Urological surgery (eg, robotic assisted radical prostatectomy) | 1 (1) |
| Obstetric surgery (eg, caesarean section) | 1 (1) |
| Neurosurgery (any neurosurgical procedure) | 1 (1) |
PPC=postoperative pulmonary complication.