Open and closed endotracheal suction systems in mechanically ventilated intensive care patients: a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Closed suction systems (CSS) are increasingly replacing open suction systems (OSS) to perform endotracheal toilet in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients. Yet effectiveness regarding patient safety and costs of these systems has not been carefully analyzed.


OBJECTIVE
To review effectiveness of CSS and OSS, with respect to patient outcome, bacterial contamination, and costs in adult intensive care unit patients.


METHODS
Search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases and a manual review of article bibliographies.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trials comparing CSS and OSS in adult intensive care unit patients were retrieved.


METHODS
Assessment of abstracts and study quality was performed by two reviewers. Data were combined in meta-analyses by random effect models. Fifteen trials were identified. No significant differences were found in incidences of ventilator-associated pneumonia (eight studies, 1,272 patients) and mortality (four studies, 1,062 patients). No conclusions could be drawn with respect to arterial oxygen saturation (five studies, 109 patients), arterial oxygen tension (two studies, 19 patients), and secretion removal (two studies, 37 patients). Compared with OSS, endotracheal suctioning with CSS significantly reduced changes in heart rate (four studies, 85 patients; weighted mean difference, -6.33; 95% confidence interval, -10.80 to -1.87) and changes in mean arterial pressure (three studies, 59 patients; standardized mean difference, -0.43; 95% confidence interval, -0.87 to 0.00) but increased colonization (two studies, 126 patients; relative risk, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.04). CSS seems to be more expensive than OSS.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of this meta-analysis, there is no evidence to prefer CSS more than OSS.
Jongerden
Irene P
IP
Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Eijkman-Winkler Centre for Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. i.p.jongerden@umcutrecht.nl
Rovers
Maroeska M
MM
Grypdonck
Mieke H
MH
Bonten
Marc J
MJ
D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D003422:Critical Care; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015233:Models, Statistical; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis