title: Study protocol - A systematic review and meta-analysis of hypothermia in experimental traumatic brain injury: Why have promising animal studies not been replicated in pragmatic clinical trials?
abstract: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and permanent disability. Systemic hypothermia, a treatment used in TBI for many decades, has recently been found to be associated with neutral or unfavourable clinical outcomes despite apparently promising preclinical research. Systematic review and meta-analysis is a tool to summarize literature and observe trends in experimental design and quality that underpin its general conclusions. Here we aim to use these techniques to describe the use of hypothermia in animal TBI models, collating data relating to outcome and both study design and quality. From here we intend to observe correlations between features and attempt to explain any discrepancies found between animal and clinical data. This protocol describes the relevant methodology in detail.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK; Department of Neurosurgery Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast UK.
authors.forename: Theodore C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Hirst
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watzlawick
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care, Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK.
authors.forename: Malcolm R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care, Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK.
authors.forename: Peter J D
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Andrews
keywords: hypothermia; meta‐analysis; systematic review; traumatic brain injury