Table 6.
Summary of perioperative care strategies with evidence of significant benefit in reducing postoperative pulmonary complications following conventional meta-analysis
| Intervention | Relative effect: risk ratio (95% CI) | Quality of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced recovery pathways | 0.35 (0.21 to 0.58; P<0.001; I2=0%) | Low |
| Prophylactic mucolytics | 0.40 (0.23 to 0.67; P<0.001; I2=0%) | Low |
| Postoperative (continuous positive airway pressure) non-invasive ventilation | 0.49 (0.24 to 0.99; P=0.05 I2=48%) | Low |
| Lung protective intraoperative ventilation | 0.52 (0.30 to 0.88; P=0.001; I2=78%) | Moderate |
| Prophylactic respiratory physiotherapy | 0.55 (0.32 to 0.93; P=0.02; I2=60%) | Low |
| Epidural analgesia | 0.77 (0.65 to 0.92; P=0.003; I2=0%) | Low |
| Goal directed haemodynamic therapy | 0.87 (0.77-0.98; P=0.02; I2=0%) | Moderate |