Respiratory failure & ventilation
Effectiveness and safety of prolonged prone positioning in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
Pooled data from small trials and NRSIs reveal no significant effect of PPP on mortality, oxygenation, or safety outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with ARDS (most with COVID-19 ARDS)
- Participants
- 1,045 adults · 9 studies
- Comparison
- Prolonged vs standard prone positioning
- Outcome
- Mortality
Methodological detailsrandom-effects model, GRADE assessment, Evidence of low to very low certainty, limited by inconsistency and imprecision
- Random-effects model
- GRADE assessment
- Evidence of low to very low certainty, limited by inconsistency and imprecision
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
90-day mortality · 90 days
No significant effect on 90-day mortality (n = 641), HR
0.72
95% CI 0.41–1.25
Further pooled results
Secondary outcomes (incl. oxygenation improvement)
- No significant differences
Safety
Adverse events
- No significant effect of prolonged prone positioning (PPP) on safety outcomes
Original publication
Effectiveness and safety of prolonged prone positioning in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care. Published 6 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →