Impact of head-of-bed elevation angle on the development of pressure ulcers and pneumonia in patients on mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Mechanical ventilation is crucial for patient management in intensive care units, but it comes with complications such as pressure ulcers and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The impact of head-of-bed elevation angles on these complications remains a critical area for investigation. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and involved searches across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, conducted on September 19, 2023, with no date or language restrictions. We included randomized controlled trials that compared different head-of-bed elevation angles in adult ICU patients on mechanical ventilation. Data were extracted on study characteristics, quality assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and statistical analyses performed using chi-square tests for heterogeneity and fixed or random-effects models based on heterogeneity results. Results Six studies met inclusion criteria out of an initial 601 articles. These studies showed minimal heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0% for pressure ulcers, p = 0.930; and for VAP, p = 0.797), supporting the use of fixed-effect models. Results indicated that a higher elevation angle (45 degrees) significantly increased the risk of pressure ulcers (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.12-3.37, p < 0.05) and decreased the incidence of VAP compared to a lower angle (30 degrees) (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31-0.84, p < 0.05). Conclusions While higher head-of-bed elevation can reduce the risk of VAP in mechanically ventilated patients, it may increase the risk of pressure ulcers. Clinical strategies should carefully balance these outcomes to optimize patient care in ICU settings.