8. Comparison 2 (HFNC vs NIV or NIPPV): sensitivity analysis.
| Risk of selection: studies excluded from primary analysis owing to high or unclear risk of selection bias for random sequence generation or allocation concealment | ||
| Important outcomes | Excluded studies | Effect of sensitivity analysis |
| Failure of treatment | Frat 2015; Shebl 2018; Stephan 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| In‐hospital mortality | Frat 2015; Shebl 2018; Stephan 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Important adverse events: pneumonia, or barotrauma | NA | NA. Only one study included in primary analyses for these outcomes |
| Length of ICU stay | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| PaO2/FiO2 up to 24 hours | Frat 2015; Stephan 2015 | Effect estimate indicated no evidence of a difference between types of respiratory support used (MD ‐9.30 mmHg, 95% CI ‐80.37 to 61.77; 1 study, 40 participants) |
| Comfort (short‐term) | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| Comfort (long‐term) | NA | NA. Only one study included in primary analysis for this outcome |
| High risks of other bias: studies excluded from primary analysis owing to high risks of other bias | ||
| Outcome | Excluded studies | Effect of sensitivity analysis |
| Failure of treatment | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| In‐hospital mortality | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Important adverse events: pneumonia | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Important adverse events: barotrauma | NA | NA. Only one study included in primary analysis for this outcome |
| Length of ICU stay | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| PaO2/FiO2 up to 24 hours | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Comfort (short‐term) | Frat 2015 (selective reporting bias, and differences in treatment in the HFNC group) | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| Comfort (long‐term) | NA | NA. Only one study included in primary analysis for this outcome |
| Fixed effect versus random effects: we re‐analysed the data using a fixed‐effect model | ||
| Outcomes | Effect of sensitivity analysis | |
| Failure of treatment In‐hospital mortality Important adverse events: pneumonia or barotrauma Length of ICU stay PaO2/FiO2 up to 24 hours Comfort (short‐term) Comfort (long‐term) |
Interpretation of the effect estimate for all outcomes remained the same | |
| Funding: studies excluded from analysis in which funding was from commercial sources | ||
| Outcome | Excluded studies | Effect of sensitivity analysis |
| Failure of treatment | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| In‐hospital mortality | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Important adverse events: pneumonia | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Important adverse events: barotrauma | Frat 2015 | NA. Only one study included in primary analysis for this outcome |
| Length of ICU stay | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| PaO2/FiO2 up to 24 hours | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same |
| Comfort (short‐term) | Frat 2015 | Interpretation of the effect estimate remained the same (only one study remaining in analysis) |
| Comfort (long‐term) | Frat 2015 | NA. Only one study included in primary analysis for this outcome |
CI: confidence interval ICU: intensive care unit MD: mean difference NA: not applicable PaO2/FiO2: partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen