ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Short-term outcomes across sedation practice patterns in mechanically ventilated patients with bacterial pneumonia: a nationwide cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Combined sedation was not associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome of in-hospital death and functional decline at discharge, compared with propofol-based sedation; however, a lower risk was observed compared with dexmedetomidine-based sedation.
Study context
- Population
- Adult ICU patients with bacterial pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation, Japan, April 2018–March 2023eligible
- Participants
- 3,302 patients
- Exposure
- Combined sedation vs propofol-based or dexmedetomidine-based sedation
- Combined sedationn = 1,135
- Propofol-based sedationn = 1,067reference
- Dexmedetomidine-based sedationn = 1,100reference
- Outcome
- Composite of:
- In-hospital death
- Functional decline at discharge
Methodological detailsnationwide, propensity-score matching-weight analysis, Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database
- Nationwide
- Propensity-score matching-weight analysis
- Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
RD (95% CI)
Combined sedation vs Propofol-based sedation
−3.7 %(−8.0 to 0.7)
Combined sedation vs Dexmedetomidine-based sedation
−6.7%(−11.2 to −2.3)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Combined sedation | Propofol-based sedation | Dexmedetomidine-based sedation | RD (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-hospital mortalityCombined sedation vs Propofol-based sedation | 22.4% | 26.7% | 30.1% | −4.2% (−8.5 to −0.03) | |
| In-hospital mortalityCombined sedation vs Dexmedetomidine-based sedation | −7.7% (−12.1 to −3.3) | ||||
| −15−10−505Difference (linear scale) |
- In-hospital mortality: not robust in sensitivity analyses; not supported by 28-day or 90-day in-hospital mortality
- In-hospital mortality: consistent across sensitivity analyses and 28-day and 90-day in-hospital mortality
Functional decline at discharge
- Did not differ among groups
Tracheostomy and 28-day ventilator-free days
- Tracheostomy more frequent with combined sedation than with both comparators
- 28-day ventilator-free days did not differ
Original publication
Short-term outcomes across sedation practice patterns in mechanically ventilated patients with bacterial pneumonia: a nationwide cohort study. Ann Intensive Care. Published 1 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →