A critical appraisal of the evidence for using cardiotocography plus ECG ST interval analysis for fetal surveillance in labor. Part II: the meta-analyses.

摘要

We appraised the methodology, execution and quality of the five published meta-analyses that are based on the five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared cardiotocography (CTG) +ST analysis to CTG. The meta-analyses contained errors, either created de novo in handling of original data, or from a failure to recognize essential differences among the RCTs, particularly in their inclusion criteria and outcome parameters. No meta-analysis contained complete and relevant data from all five RCTs. We believe that one RCT excluded in two of the meta-analyses should have been included, while one RCT that was included in all meta-analyses, should have been excluded. After correction of the uncovered errors and exclusion of the RCT that we deemed inappropriate, our new meta-analysis showed that CTG+ST monitoring significantly reduces the fetal scalp blood sampling usage (risk ratio 0.64; 95% confidence interval 0.47-0.88), total operative delivery rate (0.93; 0.88-0.99), and metabolic acidosis rate (0.61; 0.41-0.91). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.