Hemolysis and cardiopulmonary bypass: meta-analysis and systematic review of contributing factors

Table 5 Summary of findings of published studies comparing plasma free hemoglobin (PFHb) between CPB and alternatives to CPB

Alternatives to CPB compared to CPB in cardiac surgery patients
Outcomes	№ of participants (studies) Follow-up	Certainty of the evidence (GRADE)	Relative effect (95% CI)	Anticipated absolute effects
Outcomes	№ of participants (studies) Follow-up	Certainty of the evidence (GRADE)	Relative effect (95% CI)	Risk with placebo	Risk difference with Alternative ECC
Plasma Free Hemoglobin—MiniECC	235 (5 RCTs)	⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderate	–	The mean plasma Free Hemoglobin—MiniECC was 0	MD 20.66 lower (35.76 lower to 5.56 lower)
Plasma Free Hemoglobin—OPCAB	135 (3 RCTs)	⨁⨁⨁◯ Moderate	–	The mean plasma Free Hemoglobin—OPCAB was 0	MD 25 lower (44.65 lower to 5.35 lower)

*The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI)
CI confidence interval, MD mean difference
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect
Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different
Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect
Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect

ISSN: 1749-8090