Table 3 Description of the primary, secondary, and undetermined outcomes used in randomised controlled trials (RCTs)

Mortality, n studies (%)

n = 17/136 (13)

82/114 (72)

22/34 (65)

 ICU mortality

2

46

17

 Hospital mortality

4

44

13

 Day-28 mortality

5

20

4

 Day-29 to day-89 mortality

4

5

1

 Day-90 mortality

2

7

0

 >Day-90 mortality

0

15

6

Length of stay, n studies (%)

4/136 (3)

90/114 (79)

21/34 (62)

 ICU length of stay

4

84

21

 Hospital length of stay

0

61

9

Duration of organ dysfunction, n studies (%)

12/136 (9)

75/114 (66)

14/34 (41)

 Mechanical ventilation

6

56

10

 Catecholamine infusion

0

5

1

 Renal replacement therapy

0

13

0

 Organ failure

6

35

6

 Antibiotic therapy

0

13

1

Complications, n studies (%)

65/136 (48)

74/114 (65)

30/34 (88)

 Infections

27

48

21

 Metabolic

19

24

12

 Feeding intolerance

19

24

9

Functional outcome, n studies (%)

5/136 (4)

12/114 (11)

1/34 (3)

 Quality of life

1

7

0

 Physical function^b

2

6

1

 Muscle strength

1

6

0

 Walking distance

1

2

0

Others, n studies (%)

33/136 (24)

16/114 (14)

12/34 (35)

 Metabolic concentration^c

12

13

7

 Feeding measures^d

17

3

4

Tube placement (time needed or success)

3

0

0

Contamination of packs and glass bottles

1

0

0