Endpoint

Intensive care unit length of stay

CAT:outcome/icu-length-of-stayreported in days9 findings from 8 compounds

What moved it

9 findings · 8 compounds · 2 null · by evidence strength

Compound	Direction	Findings	Strongest evidence
L-ascorbic acid	down	1	Evidence strength: strong. Randomised human trials or their synthesis, with the effect's size and interval recorded and no recorded weakness outstanding.
methylene blue	down	1	Evidence strength: strong. Randomised human trials or their synthesis, with the effect's size and interval recorded and no recorded weakness outstanding.
melatonin	down	2	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
coenzyme Q10	no effect	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
L-glutamine	down	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
pantoprazole	up	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
selenium atom	no effect	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.
sodium hydrogencarbonate	up	1	Evidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.

Reported to move it

7 findings

L-ascorbic acid — decreases
StrongEvidence strength: strong. Randomised human trials or their synthesis, with the effect's size and interval recorded and no recorded weakness outstanding.Finding
“Polling data from 30 studies reporting the length of ICU stay outcome using a random effect model showed an overall mean difference of −0.76 days, indicating a 0.76-day shorter ICU stay among the vitamin C group compared with placebo/SOC (95% CI, 95% CI, −1.34 to −0.19; n = 252,897; I2 = 96%; p = 0.009).”
Quoted verbatim from Vitamin C in Critically Ill Patients: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Participants

252,897
Population

Critically ill adults; pooled randomized and observational studies of intravenous vitamin C alone or with other antioxidants versus placebo or standard of care
Effect -0.76 mean difference, 95% CI -1.34 to -0.19
Vitamin C in Critically Ill Patients: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2021PMID:34684565Permalink
methylene blue — decreases
StrongEvidence strength: strong. Randomised human trials or their synthesis, with the effect's size and interval recorded and no recorded weakness outstanding.Finding
“The results showed that MB reduced the ICU LOS in patients with distributive shock (MD: −1.54; 95% CI −2.61 to −0.48; p=0.004; I2=25%; table 2).”
Quoted verbatim from Effect of methylene blue on outcomes in patients with distributive shock: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials..
Study

meta-analysis
Participants

141
Population

adults with distributive shock (septic shock, vasoplegic syndrome, ischaemia-reperfusion injury); secondary endpoint; 3 trials, n = 141
Effect -1.54 mean difference, 95% CI -2.61 to -0.48
Effect of methylene blue on outcomes in patients with distributive shock: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.2024PMID:38216185Permalink
L-glutamine — decreases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“The pooled results indicated that Gln supplementation was associated with a significantly shorter ICU hospital stay (SMD = −0.93, 95% CI: −1.83 to −0.04, P = 0.04; Figure 6).”
Quoted verbatim from Efficacy of Glutamine in Treating Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Population

Severe acute pancreatitis patients, pooled across parenteral and enteral glutamine-supplemented nutrition trials
Effect -0.93 standardised mean difference, 95% CI -1.83 to -0.04
Efficacy of Glutamine in Treating Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2022PMID:35774540Permalink
pantoprazole — increases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“The length of ICU stay was median 4 (range: 2–105) days in the overall study population, while the intervention group was associated with significantly longer ICU stay as compared with the control group patients (P = 0.006).”
Quoted verbatim from Effects of oral/enteral nutrition alone versus plus pantoprazole on gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients with low risk factor: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial..
Study

RCT
Dose

40 mg once daily, intravenous or oral
Population

Critically ill ICU patients at low risk of GI bleeding receiving oral or enteral nutrition; intervention group received pantoprazole in addition, control group received nutrition alone; open-label
Effects of oral/enteral nutrition alone versus plus pantoprazole on gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients with low risk factor: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial.2020PMID:32151119Permalink
sodium hydrogencarbonate — increases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Finding
“However, SBIC was associated with significant increases in the duration of ventilation (WMD = 0.64 hours; 95% CI = 0.16 to 1.11 hours; P = 0.008; Figure 6), ICU length of stay (WMD = 2.06 days; 95% CI = 0.54 to 3.58 days; P = 0.008; Figure 7), and incidence of alkalemia (RR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.42 to 3.42; P < 0.001; Additional file 4).”
Quoted verbatim from Sodium bicarbonate in the prevention of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Dose

intravenous bolus plus continuous infusion, regimens varied across trials
Population

Adults undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, most with pre-existing renal impairment or at risk of acute kidney injury; secondary endpoint pooled from four randomized trials
Effect 2.06 mean difference, 95% CI 0.54 to 3.58
Sodium bicarbonate in the prevention of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2014PMID:25212718Permalink
melatonin — decreases
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.Findingreplicated ×1
“However, melatonin group demonstrated significantly lower serum HMGB-1 and NT-pro-BNP concentrations along with shorter duration of MV and less need for oxygen therapy and shorter length of NICU stay compared to control group.”
Quoted verbatim from Melatonin effects on the left ventricular function in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension..
Study

RCT
Dose

Oral melatonin 10 mg/kg/day for five doses, started within the first 24 h; melatonin tablets crushed, suspended in 5 mL normal saline and given by orogastric tube, in addition to standard care
Population

Neonates of at least 36 weeks' gestation with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), neonatal intensive care unit, Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt; n=80 randomised and analysed (40 melatonin plus standard care, 40 placebo plus standard care); NICU length of stay was a pre-specified SECONDARY clinical outcome (primary outcome was LV function at end of therapy, with LV-GLS the principal endpoint); open to clinicians, outcome assessors blinded
Melatonin effects on the left ventricular function in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension.2026PMID:41954764Permalink

Show the remaining 1

melatonin — decreases
Very limitedEvidence strength: very limited. Human evidence with major recorded weaknesses, or non-human, uncontrolled or unverified evidence.Findingreplicated ×1
“However, patients who randomised to melatonin had a significantly shorter length of stay in intensive care units, with a mean difference, MD (95%CI) of -1.84 days (-2.46, -1.21); ρ < 0.001.”
Quoted verbatim from The effect of melatonin on delirium in hospitalised patients: A systematic review and meta-analyses with trial sequential analysis..
Study

meta-analysis
Population

hospitalised patients
The effect of melatonin on delirium in hospitalised patients: A systematic review and meta-analyses with trial sequential analysis.2020PMID:31279283Permalink

Measured, no effect detected

2 findings

coenzyme Q10 — no detected effect on
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.FindingNull result
“ICU length of stay in the CoQ10 group (18.83 ± 10.72) was shorter than the placebo group (23.60 ± 10.03); however, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.122).”
Quoted verbatim from Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in burn patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial..
Study

RCT
Participants

52
Duration

10 days
Dose

100 mg three times a day after meals, total 300 mg/day
Population

Adults aged 18-65 with 20-60% total body surface area burns admitted to a burn ICU in Isfahan, Iran, all receiving routine burn care and the unit's standard vitamin, selenium, zinc and B-complex supplementation in both arms; secondary outcome.
Coenzyme Q10 supplementation in burn patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.2024PMID:38431600Permalink
selenium atom — no detected effect on
ModerateEvidence strength: moderate. Human evidence with one recorded weakness, or capped at moderate by its design or by unread numbers.FindingNull result
“The statistics demonstrated an insignificant association between the number of days spent in the ICU with postsurgical selenium intake (MD -0.01; 95% CI: -0.28, 0.25; P = 0.92).”
Quoted verbatim from Efficacy of selenium on patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials..
Study

meta-analysis
Population

Adults after cardiac surgery in a pooled analysis of 7 randomized trials of perioperative selenium versus control
Effect -0.01 mean difference, 95% CI -0.28 to 0.25
Efficacy of selenium on patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.2024PMID:38659018Permalink

How it is measured

Elapsed days from intensive care unit (or paediatric intensive care unit) admission to intensive care unit discharge.

Measured, not recorded

Subject: intensive care unit length of stay
Measurements: 2 measurements
Recorded as a finding: No

Show what was measured

intensive care unit length of stay
no effect, p = 0.73, n = 1512
1,512 patients for intensive care unit length of stay (ICULoS) (MD -0.04 days, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.20; I2 = 95%; p = 0.73)
PMID:31071081 · one of two readings recorded this
intensive care unit length of stay
decreases, p = 0.00001, n = 162
enriched cardioplegia solution with NAC compared to SoC in intensive care unit length of stay (MD -0.63 days, 95% CI -0.88 to -0.38; n = 162; I2 = 84%; p < 0.00001)
PMID:31071081 · one of two readings recorded this

Sources cited

9 papers

Subject: intensive care unit length of stay
Findings: 9
Papers: 9

Compound

Direction

Findings

Strongest evidence

down

down

down

no effect

down

no effect

sodium hydrogencarbonate

Measured, not recorded

Subject

intensive care unit length of stay

Measurements

2 measurements

Recorded as a finding

Show what was measured

intensive care unit length of stay
no effect, p = 0.73, n = 1512
1,512 patients for intensive care unit length of stay (ICULoS) (MD -0.04 days, 95% CI -0.29 to 0.20; I2 = 95%; p = 0.73)
PMID:31071081 · one of two readings recorded this
intensive care unit length of stay
decreases, p = 0.00001, n = 162
enriched cardioplegia solution with NAC compared to SoC in intensive care unit length of stay (MD -0.63 days, 95% CI -0.88 to -0.38; n = 162; I2 = 84%; p < 0.00001)
PMID:31071081 · one of two readings recorded this