Xiao Meng, Zhu Fangfang, Zhang Yanting, Ma Jing, Zheng Anlong, Deng Lan, Wei Shiwen, Zhang Pu, Ding Xinbo
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Hubei Clinical Research Center for Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
Department of Nursing, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
BMC Nurs. 2025 Mar 31;24(1):348. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03017-9.
This study systematically compared the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions that may improve thirst in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Thirst is among the most intense and distressing symptoms experienced by ICU patients. Recently, various non-pharmacological interventions have been applied to alleviate thirst symptoms and have shown positive effects. However, there is no consensus on which non-pharmacological intervention is the most effective, making it difficult to choose interventions to alleviate thirst in ICU patients.
Systematic review and network meta-analysis based on PRISMA.
Computer searches were conducted in eight Chinese and English databases to identify randomized controlled trials published before October 12, 2024, on non-pharmacological interventions to improve thirst symptoms in ICU patients. Two researchers performed literature screening and data extraction, and RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0 software were used for literature quality assessment and data analysis.
24 articles involving 2480 ICU patients and 14 types of non-drug interventions were included. The network meta-analysis results revealed that compared with those in routine care, the degree of thirst in ICU patients was significantly different significant for menthol lozenges, ice water injection, menthol water spray, ice saline water spray, ice menthol water spray, and ice water spray (all P < 0.05). According to the ranking results of the cumulative ranking probability curve area (SUCRA), ice menthol water spray is the optimal solution for improving the degree of thirst in ICU patients.
Ice menthol water spray is the best non-pharmacological intervention for reducing thirst in ICU patients. When patients experience thirst, such as in the ICU ward, medical staff can use ice peppermint water spray to relieve the patient's thirst symptoms. Future research should focus on directly comparing the effects of different non-pharmacological interventions and evaluating their cost-effectiveness. PROSPERO (INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTIVE REGISTER OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS)REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024614636.
The results of this study can provide a basis for medical staff to alleviate the thirst of ICU patients, with the results particularly supporting the use of ice mint water spray to reduce the level of thirst in ICU patients.
本研究系统比较了可能改善重症监护病房（ICU）患者口渴症状的非药物干预措施的疗效。
口渴是ICU患者经历的最强烈、最痛苦的症状之一。近年来，各种非药物干预措施已被应用于缓解口渴症状，并显示出积极效果。然而，对于哪种非药物干预最为有效尚无共识，这使得难以选择缓解ICU患者口渴的干预措施。
基于PRISMA的系统评价和网络荟萃分析。
在中国和英文的八个数据库中进行计算机检索，以识别2024年10月12日前发表的关于改善ICU患者口渴症状的非药物干预的随机对照试验。两名研究人员进行文献筛选和数据提取，并使用RevMan 5.3和Stata 15.0软件进行文献质量评估和数据分析。
纳入24篇文章，涉及2480例ICU患者和14种非药物干预措施。网络荟萃分析结果显示，与常规护理相比，薄荷含片、冰注射水、薄荷水喷雾、冰盐水喷雾、冰薄荷水喷雾和冰喷雾水对ICU患者的口渴程度有显著差异（均P < 0.05）。根据累积排序概率曲线面积（SUCRA）的排序结果，冰薄荷水喷雾是改善ICU患者口渴程度的最佳方案。
冰薄荷水喷雾是减轻ICU患者口渴的最佳非药物干预措施。当患者出现口渴时，如在ICU病房，医护人员可使用冰薄荷水喷雾缓解患者的口渴症状。未来的研究应侧重于直接比较不同非药物干预措施的效果，并评估其成本效益。国际系统评价前瞻性注册库（PROSPERO）注册号：CRD42024614636。
本研究结果可为医护人员缓解ICU患者口渴提供依据，尤其支持使用冰薄荷水喷雾降低ICU患者的口渴程度。
