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http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26546
Title: | Medical masks vs N95 respirators for preventing COVID‐19 in healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized trials |
Authors: | Bartoszko JJ Farooqi MAM Alhazzani W Loeb M |
Keywords: | COVID-19;N95 respirators;SARS-CoV-2;coronavirus;masks;meta-analysis;systematic review;COVID-19;Coronavirus Infections;Health Personnel;Humans;Infection Control;Masks;Occupational Exposure;Pandemics;Pneumonia, Viral;Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic;Respiratory Protective Devices;Respiratory Tract Infections;Ventilators, Mechanical |
Publication Date: | Jul-2020 |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Abstract: | BACKGROUND: Respiratory protective devices are critical in protecting against infection in healthcare workers at high risk of novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19); however, recommendations are conflicting and epidemiological data on their relative effectiveness against COVID-19 are limited. PURPOSE: To compare medical masks to N95 respirators in preventing laboratory-confirmed viral infection and respiratory illness including coronavirus specifically in healthcare workers. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL from January 1, 2014, to March 9, 2020. Update of published search conducted from January 1, 1990, to December 9, 2014. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the protective effect of medical masks to N95 respirators in healthcare workers. DATA EXTRACTION: Reviewer pair independently screened, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence. DATA SYNTHESIS: Four RCTs were meta-analyzed adjusting for clustering. Compared with N95 respirators; the use of medical masks did not increase laboratory-confirmed viral (including coronaviruses) respiratory infection (OR 1.06; 95% CI 0.90-1.25; I2 = 0%; low certainty in the evidence) or clinical respiratory illness (OR 1.49; 95% CI: 0.98-2.28; I2 = 78%; very low certainty in the evidence). Only one trial evaluated coronaviruses separately and found no difference between the two groups (P = .49). LIMITATIONS: Indirectness and imprecision of available evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Low certainty evidence suggests that medical masks and N95 respirators offer similar protection against viral respiratory infection including coronavirus in healthcare workers during non-aerosol-generating care. Preservation of N95 respirators for high-risk, aerosol-generating procedures in this pandemic should be considered when in short supply. |
metadata.dc.rights.license: | Attribution - CC BY |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26546 |
metadata.dc.identifier.doi: | https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.12745 |
ISSN: | 1750-2640 1750-2659 |
Appears in Collections: | Faculty Publications (via McMaster Experts) |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Medical masks vs N95 respirators for preventing COVID-19 in healthcare workers A systematic review and meta-analysis of rand.pdf | Published version | 819.55 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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