Short-term sedation of mechanically ventilated ICU patients with propofol, benzodiazepines, or dexmedetomidine: systematic review and meta-analysis on awakening and recovery times

Introduction Sedation in the ICU is crucial in reduction of patients' discomfort, in particular in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation to help tolerate intubation and reduce pain and anxiety. Methods We planned a systematic literature review searching Medline and Scopus and performed a meta-analysis on direct comparisons reporting on weaning time (Tw), duration of mechanical ventilation (Tmv), time to extubation (Tex) and length of stay in the ICU (Ticu).