Protocol for a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of optimizing oxygen therapy in critically ill patients

TL;DR

This study aims to determine if lower oxygen therapy improves survival in ICU patients by analyzing individual patient data from clinical trials.

Contribution

The novelty lies in conducting an individual participant data meta-analysis to compare lower versus higher oxygenation therapy in critically ill patients.

Findings

The study will evaluate the efficacy of lower oxygenation therapy compared to higher oxygenation therapy.

It will provide clinical evidence to guide oxygen therapy in ICU patients.

Abstract

Oxygen therapy is a cornerstone treatment of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Whether lower oxygenation therapy brings superior survival outcomes to higher oxygenation therapy is unknown.

We will search electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to 1 January 2024. Two authors will independently screen for all eligible clinical studies. Emails will be sent for individual participant data. The statistical analyses will be conducted using STATA 15.0 software.

We will evaluate the efficacy of lower oxygenation therapy compared with higher oxygenation therapy based on individual participant data.

This study will offer clinical evidence for oxygen therapy in ICU patients.

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