Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25887704›Full record

SynthesisCritical care (London, England)2015

Safety evaluation on low-molecular-weight hydroxyethyl starch for volume expansion therapy in pediatric patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Lixia Li, Yongyang Li, Xiaoxing Xu, Bo Xu, Rongrong Ren, Yan Liu, Jian Zhang, Bin He

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Critical care (London, England), 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Preventing pediatric acute kidney injury: is it even possible?Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Lixia LiDepartment of Pharmacy, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. llxlyy88@sina.com.
Yongyang LiDepartment of Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Yishan Road 600, Shanghai, 200233, China. llxlyy@sina.com.
Xiaoxing XuDepartment of Epidemiology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. xiaoxingxu1@sina.com.
Bo XuDepartment of Anesthesiology and SICU, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. xubo-mazui@163.com.
Rongrong RenDepartment of Anesthesiology and SICU, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. lingximengfei@126.com.
Yan LiuDepartment of Pharmacy, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. liuyan160@163.com.
Jian ZhangDepartment of Pharmacy, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. zj_boss@126.com.
Bin HeDepartment of Anesthesiology and SICU, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Kongjiang Road 1665, Shanghai, 200092, China. hebinicu@139.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHydroxyethyl starch (HES) has been widely used for volume expansion, but its safety in adult patients has been questioned recently. The aim of this meta-analysis is to see whether or not HES has any adverse effect in pediatric patients.

methodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving pediatric patients who received 6% low-molecular-weight HES, published before January 2014, were searched for in Pubmed, Embase database and Cochrane Library. Two reviewers independently extracted the valid data, including the mortality, renal function, coagulation, blood loss, hemodynamic changes, and length of hospital and ICU stay. All data were analyzed by I (2)-test, and the results of statistical analysis were displayed in forest plots. Possible publication bias was tested by funnel plots. Bayesian analysis was performed using WinBUGS with fixed and random effects models.

resultsA total of 13 RCTs involving 1,156 pediatric patients were finally included in this meta-analysis. Compared with other fluids, HES did not significantly decrease the mortality (RR = -0.01; 95%CI: 0.05 to 0.03; P = 0.54; I(2) = 6%), creatinine level (I(2) -test: MD = 1.81; 95%CI: -0.35 to 3.98; P = 0.10;I(2)  = 0%; Bayesian analysis: Fixed effect model MD = 1.77; 95%CI: -0.07 to 3.6; Random effects model MD = 1.78; 95%CI: -1.86 to 5.33), activated partial thromboplastin time (MD = 0.01; 95%CI: -1.05 to 1.07; P = 0.99; I(2) = 42%), and blood loss (MD = 17.72; 95%CI: -41.27 to 5.82; P = 0.10; I(2) = 0%) in pediatric patients. However, HES significantly decreased the blood platelet count (MD = 20.99; 95%CI: -32.08 to -9.90; P = 0.0002; I(2) = 28%) and increased the length of ICU stay (MD = 0.94; 95%CI: 0.18 to 1.70; P = 0.02; I(2) = 46%).

conclusionsVolume expansion with 6% HES significantly decreased the platelet count and increased the length of ICU stay, also might have an adverse effect on renal function. Therefore HES is not recommended for pediatric patients, which safety needs more high quality RCTs and studies to confirm in future.

Indexed as

Acute Kidney InjuryBayes TheoremBlood VolumeChildChild, PreschoolCritical IllnessFluid TherapyHumansHydroxyethyl Starch DerivativesInfantLength of StayPlasma SubstitutesPlatelet CountRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicHydroxyethyl Starch DerivativesPlasma Substitutes

Identifiers

PMID25887704
PMCPMC4391127

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.