Table 1 Characteristics of the studies included

Tseng et al. [19]

Pravastatin in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients (age 18–84 years, onset 1.8 ± 1.3 days)

80

Pravastatin 40 mg

Placebo

In-hospital mortality

Doig et al. [20]

Underfeeding in refeeding syndrome

Adults in ICU with refeeding syndrome

339

Caloric restriction

Standard caloric intake

90 days

Guidet et al. [21]

ICU triage

Critically ill patients aged 75 years or older who arrived at the ED

3037

Systematic ICU admission

Standard practice

180 days

Hanley et al. [22]

Thrombolytic removal of intraventricular hemorrhage in severe stroke

Patients with extra-ventricular drain, in the ICU with stable, non-traumatic intraventricular hemorrhage obstructing the 3rd or 4th ventricles

500

Up to 12 doses, 8 h apart, of 1 mg alteplase via extra-ventricular drain

Up to 12 doses, 8 h apart, of 0.9% saline via extra-ventricular drain

180 days

Sprigg et al. [23]

Tranexamic acid in hyperacute primary intracerebral hemorrhage

Adults with intracerebral hemorrhage from acute stroke units

2325

1 g intravenous tranexamic acid bolus followed by an 8-h infusion of 1 g tranexamic acid

Placebo same dilution and rate of infusion as treatment group

7 days

Zhang et al. [24]

Dexmedetomidine after noncardiac surgery

Patients ≥ 65 years, admitted to ICU after noncardiac surgery

700

Dexmedetomidine loading dose of 0.6 µg/kg 10 min before anesthesia induction, then continuous infusion of 5 µg/kg/h until 1 h before the end of surgery

Normal saline same dilution and rate of infusion as treatment group

2 years

Parke et al. [25]

Fluid management after cardiac surgery

Adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB, with preoperative EuroSCORE II ≥ 0.9

715

Protocol-guided fluid administration, based on SVV, in ICU

Fluid management determined by local protocol and bedside clinician, in ICU

ICU discharge