Table 1 Characteristics of the included trials
Trial | Number | Setting | Trial duration | ICU | Population | Intervention | Comparator | Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria | ||||||||
Youness et al. [20] | 33 | Single-centre US | 24 months | Mixed | Intubated mechanically ventilated patients with new-onset (<48 h) atelectasis | CF, uncontrolled asthma, COPD, pneumothorax, pleura effusion, tumor-associated atelectasis, severe hypoxemia, hemodynamic instability, allergy to dornase alfa, use of nebulized acetylcysteine and pregnancy | Nebulized dornase alfa 2.5 mg twice daily in 7 days or until resolution of atelectasis | (1) Placebo (isotonic saline) same volume, dosage, and duration of treatment | Mortality |
(2) Hypertonic saline (same volume, dosage, and duration of treatment) | |||||||||
Zitter et al. [19] | 30 | Single-centre US | 12 months | Mixed | Mechanically ventilated patients aged >18 years with new-onset (<24 h) atelectasis | Quadriplegia, chronic ventilator dependence, pneumothorax, frank hemoptysis, elevated intracranial pressure, pregnancy or active nursing, concurrent use of other investigational drugs, and allergy to dornase alfa, Chinese hamster ovary-derived biologics or other components of the active component | Nebulized dornase alfa 2.5 mg twice daily until extubation, death or transfer (maximum 30 days) | Placebo (isotonic saline) same volume, dosage, and duration of treatment | Mortality |