ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Protocolised analgosedation in mechanically ventilated adult patients: A scoping review
Authors' conclusion
Easy to follow protocols sufficiently detailed to cover patient need from a heterogenous ICU population are considerations to successful implementation. Healthcare staff fear of adverse effects is a potential barrier to adoption of protocolised analgosedation.
Study context
- Population
- Mechanically ventilated adult patients, including those receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)studies meeting inclusion criteria, 18,457 citations screened · observational studies 35 · non-randomised interventional studies 27 · randomised controlled trials 19
- Participants
- 81 participants
- Comparison
- Structure and content of analgosedation protocols against current international sedation guidelines
- Outcome
- Study designs
Methodological detailsfive databases searched (December 1999 to September 2026), two authors independently screened, extracted and coded, Theoretical Domains Framework
- Five databases searched (December 1999 to September 2026)
- Two authors independently screened, extracted and coded
- Theoretical Domains Framework
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Observational studies
35
43%
Non-randomised interventional studies
27
33%
Randomised controlled trials
19
23%
Further findings
Protocol content in studies published between 2019 and 2026
- Few studies included propofol or dexmedetomidine, multi-modal analgesia and delirium assessment in analgosedation protocols
- No studies in ECMO patients
Most frequently reported structure and content of protocol
- Use of a sedation score
- 77%
- Recommending opioid and sedative drugs
- 74%
- Setting a daily target sedation score
- 65%
Most reported implementation barrier
- Protocol insufficiently detailed to cover the breadth of patient needs
- 12 (63%) studies
Most frequently reported implementation facilitator
- Availability of the analgosedation protocol in an easily accessible format
- four (31%) studies
Original publication
Protocolised analgosedation in mechanically ventilated adult patients: A scoping review. J Crit Care. Published 3 October 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →