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The optimal method of achieving fast, safe, and accurate postpyloric tube placement at the bedside remains controversial. This study investigated whether facilitating techniques of bedside placement would improve the rate of successful placement of postpyloric tubes when compared with the standard technique and whether strategies should be confined to adult or pediatric patients.We searched electronic databases for eligible literatures that compared different methods of postpyloric tube placement, evaluating the successful rate of postpyloric tube placement. Two reviewers reviewed the quality of the studies and performed data extraction independently. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed to integrate the efficacy.Fourteen clinical trials involving 753 patients were included. Pairwise meta-analyses demonstrated that prokinetic agents (odds ratio [OR], 2.263; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.140-4.490; P = .02) were associated with a higher success rate as compared with the standard technique, and gastric air insufflation was associated with a higher success rate as compared with prokinetic agents (OR, 3.462; 95% CI, 1.63-7.346; P = .001) in adult patients. In network analyses, prokinetic agents and gastric air insufflation were also consistently associated with a higher success rate in adult patients. Trend analyses of rank probabilities revealed gastric air insufflation had the cumulative probability of being the most efficacious strategy (78%), especially in adult patients (88%).Gastric air insufflation seems to be clinically better for promoting bedside placement of postpyloric feeding tubes in adults. Clinicians should no longer use prokinetic agents in pediatric patients or patients without impaired motility.

Summary Background & aims Administration of enteral feeding is associated with a higher risk of nosocomial pneumonia. Herein, we systematically review the impact of gastric versus post-pyloric feeding on the incidence of pneumonia. Methods We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CCTRD (1966 to August 2011) for studies comparing gastric and post-pyloric feeding in critically ill patients. Two reviewers reviewed the quality of the studies and performed data extraction independently. Main outcome measures were the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia, aspiration, and vomiting. The meta-analysis was performed using traditional and Bayesian random-effects model. Results Our initial searches yielded 563 studies. Of these, we identified 15 randomized clinical trials enrolling 966 participants. Post-pyloric feeding was associated with reduction in pneumonia compared with gastric feeding (relative risk [RR] 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48–0.83, p = 0.001; I 2 = 0%). The risk of aspiration (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.80–1.53, p = 0.55; I 2 = 0%) and vomiting (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.38–1.67, p = 0.56; I 2 = 65.3%) were not significantly different between patients treated with gastric and post-pyloric feeding. Conclusions Comparing with gastric feeding, post-pyloric route can reduce incidence of pneumonia in critically ill patients.

We evaluated the association of lymphotoxin-α (LTA, also known as tumour necrosis factor-β) promoter +252 A/G polymorphism with sepsis.A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science (for the period January 1966 to June 2010). Two reviewers independently selected studies on the genetic association of LTA +252 A/G polymorphism with sepsis and independently extracted data onto standardized forms.Twenty-seven studies with 4399 septic patients were included based on predefined inclusion criteria. As compared to AG + GG, the LTA AA genotype was significantly associated with an increased development of sepsis in the overall population (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.62; p = 0.006). An association between mortality from sepsis and AA genotype was also found in the overall population (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.27-2.80; p = 0.002). Stratification by ethnicity indicated that the contribution to both sepsis susceptibility and mortality may be stronger in Caucasians (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08-1.91 and OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.52-4.00, respectively) than in other ethnicities.The LTA +252 A/G polymorphism is associated with both susceptibility to and mortality from sepsis.

To evaluate the accuracy of the soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) as a diagnostic test for bacterial infection.Meta-analysis of 13 diagnostic studies.Medline; Embase; Web of Science (from January 1966 to January, update to August 2008); and Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register Database (through first quarter 2008).A meta-analysis of all 73 studies was performed. Thirteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (980 patients, 557 patients with bacterial infection, 423 with non-bacterial infection); global prevalence was 56.8%. The global sensitivity was 0.82 (95% confidence interval CI, 0.68-0.90), the specificity was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.77-0.91), the positive likelihood ratio (PLR) was 5.66 (95% CI, 3.41-9.38), the negative likelihood ratio (NLR) was 0.21 (95% CI, 0.12-0.40), and the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 26.35 (95% CI, 10.32-67.28). The area under the curve of the summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.77-0.91), with a Q point value of 0.84. The sensitivity of the sTREM-1 assay for diagnosis of urinary tract infection was low (0.18, 95% CI, 0.05-0.51).sTREM-1 represents a reliable biological marker of bacterial infection, but it may be not a sufficient biological marker for infection of the urinary tract as a result of its low sensitivity. Whether sTREM-1 guidance can reduce antibiotic use as well as the measurement of sTREM-1 in different types of infection will require additional prospective studies.