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Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

1,463 questions in 125 reviews · Anaesthesia

current versions
No studies 197 · 13.5%Ungraded 203 · 13.9%Very low 307 · 21%Low 441 · 30.1%Moderate 245 · 16.7%High 70 · 4.8%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Larger atraumatic needles vs smaller atraumatic needles
Severe PDPH · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with atraumatic needles (Whitacre, Atraucan, Sprotte, Cappe‐Deutsh, Pajunk,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted8 studies · 1983 participantsLow
Larger atraumatic needles vs smaller atraumatic needles
Any headache · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with atraumatic needles (Whitacre, Atraucan, Sprotte, Cappe‐Deutsh, Pajunk,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted7 studies · 1791 participantsModerate
Traumatic needles vs atraumatic needles
Adverse events: paraesthesia · patients undergoing lumbar punctures
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.96 [0.47, 1.96]3 studies · 573 participantsModerate
Traumatic needles vs atraumatic needles
Adverse events: backache · patients undergoing lumbar punctures
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.94 [0.78, 1.13]12 studies · 3027 participantsModerate
Traumatic needles vs atraumatic needles
Severe PDPH · patients undergoing lumbar punctures
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
RD 0 [0, 0.01]24 studies · 6420 participantsLow
Traumatic needles vs atraumatic needles
Any headache · patients undergoing lumbar punctures
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
RR 1.35 [1.17, 1.57]18 studies · 4104 participantsModerate
Larger traumatic needles vs smaller traumatic needles
Onset of PDPH · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with traumatic needles (Quincke, Greene, Hingson Ferguson, Lutz, Brace,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted10 studies · 2288 participantsLow
Larger traumatic needles vs smaller traumatic needles
Adverse events: paraesthesia ‐ not reported · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with traumatic needles (Quincke, Greene, Hingson Ferguson, Lutz, Brace,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Larger traumatic needles vs smaller traumatic needles
Adverse event: backache · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with traumatic needles (Quincke, Greene, Hingson Ferguson, Lutz, Brace,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 948 participantsModerate
Larger traumatic needles vs smaller traumatic needles
Severe PDPH · patients undergoing lumbar punctures with traumatic needles (Quincke, Greene, Hingson Ferguson, Lutz, Brace,…
Needle gauge and tip designs for preventing post‐dural puncture headache (PDPH) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted6 studies · 1128 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Pain in the PACU (VAS) · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Pain at 1 to 6 hours (VAS) · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Pain at 6 to 24 hours (VAS) · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Presence of nausea · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.39 [0.19, 0.8]1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Nausea intensity (VNRS) in PACU · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Nausea intensity (VNRS) at 1 to 6 hours · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 62 participantsLow
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Nausea‐vomiting rate at 1 hour · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 23 [1.44, 366.71]1 study · 42 participantsVery low
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Nausea‐vomiting rate at 3 hours · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 2 [0.2, 20.41]1 study · 42 participantsVery low
Inhalational anaesthesia vs intravenous anaesthesia
Adverse effects: increase in IOP during maintenance of anaesthesia · adults undergoing transabdominal robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery
Total intravenous anaesthesia versus inhalational anaesthesia for adults undergoing transabdominal robotic… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 66 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Intubation time · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted12 studies · 798 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Number of attempts at intubation and unsuccessful intubations assessed as intubation at first attempt · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.96 [0.91, 1.02]11 studies · 749 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Number of attempts at intubation and unsuccessful intubations assessed as unsuccessful or required more than 2 attempts at intubation · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
RR 4.93 [1.33, 18.31]5 studies · 263 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Adverse haemodynamic response to endotracheal intubation assessed as changes in oxygen saturation · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 272 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Adverse haemodynamic response to endotracheal intubation assessed as other adverse haemodynamic response · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 100 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Other adverse effects of intubation in children, including trauma to oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal structures, assessed by visual or laryngoscopic examination · tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates)
Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates) (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 244 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Pain at rest on arrival in postoperative care unit Visual/verbal analogue scale · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted9 studies · 429 participantsModerate
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Aute confusional state Disorientation · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.29 [0.01, 6.69]1 study · 50 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Pruritus Subjective scale · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.33 [0.19, 0.58]6 studies · 299 participantsModerate
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Hospital length of stay · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
MD 0.192 studies · 64 participantsLow
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Time to first walk · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 94 participantsLow
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Patient satisfaction · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
SMD 0.086 studies · 307 participantsHigh
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Total number of nerve block‐related complications · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Acute confusional state Complete loss of time and space orientation · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.1 [0.02, 0.54]1 study · 225 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Pruritus · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RR 0.16 [0.04, 0.7]2 studies · 259 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Hospital length of stay Objective actual measurement · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
SMD 0.752 studies · 249 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Walking at postoperative day 1 Objective actual measurement · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RD 0.012 studies · 278 participantsVery low
Peripheral nerve blocks vs systemic analgesia
Patient satisfaction Subjective scales · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
SMD 0.67 [0.45, 0.89]5 studies · 363 participantsLow
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Pain at rest on arrival in postoperative care unit Verbal/visual analogue scale. Scale from: 0 to 10 · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
SMD 0.394 studies · 118 participantsModerate
Peripheral nerve block vs neuraxial block
Total number of block‐related complications · adults undergoing elective primary total hip replacement
Nerve blocks or no nerve blocks for pain control after elective hip replacement (arthroplasty) surgery in… (2017) · Cochrane
RD 05 studies · 334 participantsLow
Perineural dexamethasone vs placebo
Duration of sensory block (we included all studies describing duration of sensory block, regardless of how it was described) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted27 studies · 1625 participantsLow
Intravenous dexamethasone vs placebo
Postoperative pain intensity at 48 hours (measured using pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 172 participantsLow
Perineural vs intravenous dexamethasone
Duration of sensory block (we included all studies describing duration of sensory block regardless of how it was described) · peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted9 studies · 720 participantsModerate
Perineural vs intravenous dexamethasone
Incidence of serious adverse events (we used the NIH definition of adverse events. A serious event includes death, a life‐threatening event that requires hospitalization or prolonged hospitalization, disability or congenital anomaly) · peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Perineural vs intravenous dexamethasone
Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours (measured using pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 217 participantsLow
Perineural vs intravenous dexamethasone
Postoperative pain intensity at 24 hours (measured using pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 309 participantsModerate
Perineural vs intravenous dexamethasone
Postoperative pain intensity at 48 hours (measured using pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 227 participantsLow
Perineural dexamethasone vs placebo
Incidence of serious adverse events (we used the NIH definition of adverse events. A serious event includes death, a life‐threatening event that requires hospitalization or prolonged hospitalization, disability or congenital anomaly) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted7 studies · 620 participantsVery low
Perineural dexamethasone vs placebo
Postoperative pain intensity at 12 hours (assessed by pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 257 participantsVery low
Perineural dexamethasone vs placebo
Postoperative pain intensity at 24 hours. (assessed by pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted9 studies · 469 participantsLow
Perineural dexamethasone vs placebo
Postoperative pain intensity at 48 hours (assessed by pain scores on an 11‐point VAS) · participants undergoing surgery with peripheral nerve block
Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block (2017) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 296 participantsLow