Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
Association of mortality and neurological outcomes with hypocapnia in adult patients with acute brain injury: an updated meta-analysis
Pooled result · All-cause mortalityResult — go to the resultOdds ratio 1.29 95% CI 1.05–1.59Authors' conclusion
Arterial hypocapnia was associated with increased mortality and poor neurological outcomes in adults with acute brain injury, although the evidence is predominantly observational and limited randomized data are available.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with acute brain injury (TBI, SAH, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, CNS infections, brain tumors, post-cardiac arrest encephalopathy)27 studies (mortality)
- Participants
- 51,373 adults
- Comparison
- Hypocapnia vs no hypocapnia
- Outcome
- All-cause mortality
Methodological detailsrandom-effects (restricted maximum likelihood (REML)), unadjusted odds ratios (ORs), prespecified subgroup analyses, meta-regression, 37 studies included in the systematic review
- Random-effects (REML)
- Unadjusted ORs
- Prespecified subgroup analyses
- Meta-regression
- 37 studies included in the systematic review
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Odds ratio
1.29
95% CI 1.05–1.59
Hypocapnia vs No-hypocapnia
OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.05–1.59)
Further pooled results
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Poor neurological outcomes13 studies, 3,814 patients · unadjusted OR | 2.09 (1.24–3.54) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
Mortality by acute brain injury (ABI) type (subgroup)
- Variability across ABI types; stronger associations in SAH and ischemic stroke
Poor neurological outcomes
- Particularly in the TBI population
Poor neurological outcomes, by exposure definition (subgroup)
- Association more consistent in studies defining exposure as severe hypocapnia (PaCO2<32 mmHg)
Original publication
Association of mortality and neurological outcomes with hypocapnia in adult patients with acute brain injury: an updated meta-analysis. Crit Care. Published 1 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →