RT Journal Article T1 Body position for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia for critically ill patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. A1 Pozuelo-Carrascosa, Diana P A1 Cobo-Cuenca, Ana Isabel A1 Carmona-Torres, Juan Manuel A1 Laredo-Aguilera, Jose Alberto A1 Santacruz-Salas, Esmeralda A1 Fernandez-Rodriguez, Ruben K1 Body position K1 Prone K1 Semi-recumbent K1 Supine K1 Ventilator-associated pneumonia AB The evidence about the best body position to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is unclear. The aim of this study was to know what the best body position is to prevent VAP, shorten the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and reduce mortality among patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV). We performed a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials including intubated patients undergoing MV and admitted to an ICU. The assessed interventions were different body positions (i.e., lateral, prone, semi-recumbent) or alternative degrees of positioning in mechanically ventilated patients. Semi-recumbent and prone positions showed a risk reduction of VAP incidence (RR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.25-0.52) and mortality (RR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.50-0.91), respectively, compared to the supine position. The ranking probabilities and the surface under the cumulative ranking displayed as the first best option of treatment the semi-recumbent position to reduce the incidence of VAP (71.4%), the hospital length of stay (68.9%), and the duration of MV (67.6%); and the prone position to decrease the mortality (89.3%) and to reduce the ICU length of stay (59.3%). Cautiously, semi-recumbent seems to be the best position to reduce VAP incidence, hospital length of stay and the duration of MV. Prone is the most effective position to reduce the risk of mortality and the ICU length of stay, but it showed no effect on the VAP incidence. PB BioMed Central SN 2052-0492 YR 2022 FD 2022-02-09 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/20375 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/20375 LA en NO Pozuelo-Carrascosa DP, Cobo-Cuenca AI, Carmona-Torres JM, Laredo-Aguilera JA, Santacruz-Salas E, Fernandez-Rodriguez R. Body position for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia for critically ill patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Intensive Care. 2022 Feb 22;10(1):9 DS RISalud RD Jul 3, 2025