Abstract
BackgroundInfection is a common problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). According to published meta-analyses, oral care has been found to reduce the risk of nosocomial pneumonia, and has been recommended to improve the oral environment for patients in ICUs. However, relatively little information is available about the effects of oral care in patients without ventilatory support in ICUs. Therefore, this review proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of oral care in preventing pneumonia in non-ventilated ICU patients.MethodsEight databases will be searched for relevant literature, including four Chinese and four English online databases, from their inception to the protocol publication date. Records obtained will be managed and screened via Endnote X7. All literature will be selected following pre-established inclusion criteria by two independent review authors to obtain quality trials. The quality of the included records will be evaluated according to the “risk of bias table”, recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. All the data will be extracted by one author and checked by another. If there is any disagreement, a final agreement will be reached with a third reviewer via consultation. If there are missing data, the original authors will be emailed to ask for it. If enough data were collected, the data synthesis will be performed using Review Manager (RevMan5.3). Both a random effect model and a fixed effect model will be undertaken. A Bayesian meta-analysis will also be performed to estimate the magnitude of the heterogeneity variance and comparing it with the distribution using the WinBUGS software. Otherwise, the results will be reported narratively. The sources of heterogeneity will be determined using meta-regression and subgroup analysis if there is significant heterogeneity. A funnel plot will be used to assess publication bias if there are enough records included. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions will be followed throughout the system evaluation process.ConclusionThis review will provide evidence of oral care for intensive care unit patients without mechanical ventilation to prevent nosocomial pneumonia.Trial registrationPROSPERO Research registration identifying number: CRD42020146932
Highlights
Infection is a common problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients in intensive care units (ICUs)
Inclusion criteria Types of studies Only clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of oral care interventions will be included in this review
A Bayesian meta-analysis will be performed to increase the reliability, credibility, and power of the results suggested by Turner et al [30] and Rhodes et al [31] using the WinBUGS software
Summary
Infection is a common problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Description of condition Infection is a common problem and a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) [1,2,3,4]. It is the leading cause of death in. Pneumonia is the most common site of infection according to an international study of the prevalence and outcomes of infection in ICUs, which included 13,796 patients [6]. Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) is among the leading causes of mortality in patients in the ICU. Preventing nosocomial pneumonia is a costreducing and life-saving health care practice, especial in ICUs
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