Prophylactic acid suppressants in children in the intensive care unit: a systematic review with meta‐analysis and trial sequential analysis

Background Critically ill children are at risk of stress‐induced gastrointestinal ulceration. Acid suppressants are frequently used in intensive care units even though there is uncertainty about the benefits and harms. With this systematic review, we aimed to assess patient‐important benefits and harms of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in children in intensive care. Methods We conducted the review according to the PRISMA statement, the Cochrane Handbook, and GRADE, using conventional meta‐analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). We included randomised clinical trials comparing SUP with histamine‐2‐receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors vs placebo/no prophylaxis in children admitted for intensive care. Primary outcomes were all‐cause mortality and overt gastrointestinal bleeding. Secondary outcomes were serious adverse events, hospital‐acquired pneumonia, Clostridium difficile enteritis, myocardial ischemia, acute kidney injury and quality of life. Results We included a total of seven trials (n = 504) with eight trial comparisons. We found no statistically significant difference in all‐cause mortality (relative risk (RR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86‐2.37), overt gastrointestinal bleeding (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.42‐1.35) or hospital‐acquired pneumonia (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.77‐1.82) between SUP vs placebo/no prophylaxis. No trials reported on remaining secondary outcomes. TSA was unable to draw firm conclusions for all outcomes and certainty of evidence for all outcomes was “very low.” Conclusions We found no difference in all‐cause mortality, overt gastrointestinal bleeding or hospital‐acquired pneumonia in children in intensive care receiving acid suppressants compared with placebo/no prophylaxis. However, the quantity and quality of evidence was very low with no firm evidence for benefit or harm.