Guidelines and research

Official guidance for paediatric critical care, the evidence behind it, and the latest PICU research.

Open-access systematic reviews, meta-analyses and trials on PICU topics, chosen for relevance and how widely they are cited. Evidence informs guidance but doesn't replace it.

• Interventions to improve neonatal and infant intubation success: a meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisEuropean Journal of Pediatrics2026Full text
• Impact of Delirium on Pediatric Critical Care Outcomes and Management Strategies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Nursing Management2026Full text
• Effectiveness of Family-Focused End of Life and Bereavement Interventions Across Neonatal, Paediatric, and Adult Intensive Care: An Overview of Reviews.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Clinical Nursing2026Full text
• Virtual reality for rehabilitation and engagement in pediatric intensive care: a systematic review of feasibility, safety and outcomes.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2026Full text
• Data variables reported during neonatal transport: a systematic literature review.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Perinatology2026Full text
• Point-of-care EEG in the pediatric emergency department: a systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisEuropean Journal of Pediatrics2025Full text
• Balanced crystalloid versus saline for resuscitation in pediatric septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Pediatrics2025Full text
• Pertussis infection in critically ill infants: meta-analysis and validation of a mortality score.Systematic review or meta-analysisCritical Care (London, England)2025Full text
• Endotracheal Tube-Associated Complications in Paediatric Critical Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisNursing in Critical Care2025Full text
• The effects of the introduction of the single-family room in neonatal and paediatric intensive care on the outcomes of paediatric patients, families, staff, and organizations: a mixed method systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Health Services Research2025Full text
• Peripheral Vascular Access in Infants: Is Ultrasound-Guided Cannulation More Effective than the Conventional Approach? A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisMedicina (Kaunas)2025Full text
• Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam for pediatric convulsive status epilepticus in emergency settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Neurology2025Full text
• Video vs. direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in neonates: a meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2025Full text
• Ethics and end-of-life in pediatric and neonatal ICUs: a systematic review of recommendations.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Palliative Care2025Full text
• Phenotype and Long-Term Outcome in Recurrent Paediatric Acute Liver Failure: Systematic Review and Individual Participant Data Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisLiver International (International Association for the Study of the Liver)2025Full text
• Effect of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy on perioperative hypoxemia in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Anesthesiology2025Full text
• Safety and efficacy of pulmonary surfactant therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Pulmonary Medicine2025Full text
• Environmental factors and clinical markers of stress during neonatal transport: a systematic literature review .Systematic review or meta-analysisBMJ Paediatrics Open2025Full text
• Risk factors for healthcare-associated infection and colonization of Serratia marcescens in neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisAntimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control (journal)2025Full text
• Inotropes for the prevention of low cardiac output syndrome and mortality for paediatric patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease: a network meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisCochrane2024Full text
• Daily Sedation Interruption vs Continuous Sedation in Pediatric Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2024Full text
• The elements of end-of-life care provision in paediatric intensive care units: a systematic integrative review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Palliative Care2024Full text
• Impact of pediatric tracheostomy on family caregivers' burden and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Public Health2024Full text
• The incidence of admission ionised hypocalcaemia in paediatric major trauma-A systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisPLoS One2024Full text
• Effectiveness and family experiences of interventions promoting partnerships between families and pediatric and neonatal intensive care units: a mixed methods systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisJBI (JBI Evidence Synthesis)2024Full text
• A systematic review of dexmedetomidine pharmacology in pediatric patients.Systematic review or meta-analysisClinical and Translational Science2024Full text
• Changes in the global hospitalisation burden of respiratory syncytial virus in young children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisThe Lancet Infectious Diseases (PROMISE/WHO-funded collaboration)2024Full text
• Risk Factors for Poor Outcomes in Children Hospitalized With Virus-associated Acute Lower Respiratory Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisThe Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal2024Full text
• Monoclonal Antibody for the Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Infants and Children: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2023Full text
• The Impact of Early Enteral Nutrition on Post-operative Hospital Stay and Complications in Infants Undergoing Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Caring Sciences2023Full text
• Pediatric vs Adult or Mixed Trauma Centers in Children Admitted to Hospitals Following Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2023Full text
• Trends in In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest and Mortality Among Children With Cardiac Disease in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2023Full text
• A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines and recommendations for the management of pain, sedation, delirium and iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome in pediatric intensive care.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2023Full text
• The magnitude of pediatric mortality and determinant factors in intensive care units in a low-resource country, Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Medicine2023Full text
• Association of Extubation Failure Rates With High-Flow Nasal Cannula, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure vs Conventional Oxygen Therapy in Infants and Young Children: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Pediatrics2023Full text
• Continuous versus Intermittent Enteral Feeding in Critically Ill Children: A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisNutrients (MDPI)2023Full text
• Association of Arterial Hyperoxia With Outcomes in Critically Ill Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2022Full text
• Balanced Versus Unbalanced Fluid in Critically Ill Children: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisPediatric Critical Care Medicine (SCCM/WFPICCS)2022Full text
• Continuous Magnesium Sulfate Infusions for Status Asthmaticus in Children: A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2022Full text
• Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist vs. Conventional Mechanical Ventilation in Adults and Children With Acute Respiratory Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Medicine2022Full text
• Therapeutic Management of Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury and Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity in the Paediatric Population: A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisDrug Safety (Springer)2022Full text
• A Systematic Review of the Factors Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth in Parents Following Admission of Their Child to the Intensive Care Unit.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings2022Full text
• Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJournal of Korean Medical Science2022Full text
• Incidence and risk factors of posttraumatic epilepsy following pediatric traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisEpilepsia2022Full text
• Pediatric Blast Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Factors Associated with Mortality and Description of Injury Profiles.Systematic review or meta-analysisPrehospital and Disaster Medicine (Cambridge University Press)2022Full text
• Efficacy and safety of combined oral sucrose and nonnutritive sucking in pain management for infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisPLoS One2022Full text
• Tracheostomy practices in children on mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJornal de Pediatria2022Full text
• Efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in maintaining hemodynamic stability in pediatric cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisJornal de Pediatria2022Full text
• Complications of tracheostomy in children: a systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBrazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology2022Full text
• Variations in Guidelines for Diagnosis of Child Physical Abuse in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisJAMA Network Open2021Full text
• Parental experiences of their infant's hospital admission undergoing cardiac surgery: A systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisActa Paediatrica2021Full text
• Clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of paediatric COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisArchives of Disease in Childhood (BMJ)2021Full text
• Effect of therapeutic hypothermia on renal and myocardial function in asphyxiated (near) term neonates: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisPLoS One2021Full text
• The psychological impact of paediatric burn injuries: a systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Public Health2021Full text
• Clinical characteristics of severe neonatal enterovirus infection: a systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMC Pediatrics2021Full text
• In-Hospital Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2021Full text
• Combination of ipratropium bromide and salbutamol in children and adolescents with asthma: A meta-analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisPLoS One2021Full text
• Risk Factors for Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Neonates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2021Full text
• Anemia and Red Blood Cell Transfusions, Cerebral Oxygenation, Brain Injury and Development, and Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review.Systematic review or meta-analysisFrontiers in Pediatrics2021Full text
• Detection of intracranial hypertension in children using optical coherence tomography: a systematic review.Systematic review or meta-analysisBMJ Open2021Full text