Table 2.
Summary of the meta-analyses. I2 describes the heterogeneity. RIS, required information size as measured by trial sequential analysis, Egger test describes the risk for publication bias.
| Variable | Studies (n) | Participants (n) | Value (95% CI) | I2 (%) | RIS | Egger test | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit | Mean difference | ||||||
| Morphine consumption day 1 (mg) | 30 | 1809 | −18.4 (−22.3 to −14.4) | 99 | 266 | 0.03 | High |
| Morphine consumption day 2 (mg) | 22 | 1309 | −25.5 (−30.2 to −20.8) | 97 | 103 | 0.21 | High |
| Pain scores in rest, day 1 (NRS) | 33 | 2164 | −0.9 (−1.1 to −0.7) | 93 | 0.03 | ||
| Pain in exertion, day 1 (NRS) | 19 | 1099 | −1.2 (−1.6 to −0.8) | 79 | 0.79 | ||
| Pain scores in rest, day 2 (NRS) | 19 | 1114 | −0.4 (−0.7 to −0.1) | 97 | 0.94 | ||
| Pain in exertion, day 2 (NRS) | 13 | 639 | −0.4 (−0.7 to −0.1) | 50 | 0.14 | ||
| Intraoperative sufentanil use (μg) | 11 | 625 | −12.9 (−19.3 to −6.5) | 91 | 0.07 | ||
| Time to first analgesic request (h) | 8 | 309 | 9.7 (4.9–14.5) | 99 | 0.01 | ||
| Time to fit-for-discharge (days) | 4 | 233 | −0.3 (−0.5 to −0.1) | 28 | 0.80 | ||
| Length of hospital stay (days) | 17 | 1416 | −0.2 (−0.4 to −0.1) | 88 | 0.12 | ||
| Risk | Risk ratio | ||||||
| Incidence of nausea | 25 | 1412 | 1.1 (0.9–1.4) | 48 | 0.12 | ||
| Incidence of pruritus | 23 | 1282 | 4.3 (2.5–7.5) | 57 | 0.05 | ||
| Incidence of sedation | 12 | 644 | 0.7 (0.5–1.1) | 2 | 0.53 | ||
| Incidence of respiratory depression | 31 | 1862 | 5.5 (2.1–14.2) | 14 | 0.17 | ||
| Incidence of respiratory depression (<500 μg) | 26 | 1473 | 1.1 (0.2–8.2) | 21 | N/A |
MD, mean difference; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval; NRS, numeric rating scale; RIS, required information size; RR, relative risk.