Can serum NSE predict and evaluate sepsis-associated encephalopathy: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

• This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate serum NSE's biomarker potential in patients with sepsis-associated encephalopathy and has the possibility of informing future clinical practice. • We will use appropriate methodologies and quality assessment tools that may feed into an evidence-based clinical practice. Brain dysfunction in sepsis is known as sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), which often results in severe cognitive and neurological sequelae and increases the risk of death. Neuron specific enolase (NSE) may serve as an important neurocritical biomarker for detection and longitudinal monitoring in SAE patients. Our systematic review and meta -analysis will aim to explore the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum NSE in SAE patients. Currently, no systematic review and meta -analysis have been assessed that NSE as a biomarker of SAE. We will conduct a systematic review and meta -analysis of serum NSE for the diagnostic and prognostic value of SAE patients. The primary objective is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of serum NSE as an independent biomarker for SAE. The secondary objective is to determine the prognostic strength of serum NSE as an independent biomarker of mortality in septic patients determine. We will perform a systematic search and descriptive review using the MEDLINE database and the PubMed interface. We will assign two independent reviewers to review all collected titles and associated abstracts, review full articles, and extract study data. We will use the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies version 2 (QUADAS-2) assessment tool according to the recommendation by the Cochrane Collaboration to evaluate quality and risk of bias of the selected studies. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses will also be used to assess heterogeneity. Review Manager version 5.4 and Stata16.0. will be used for statistical analysis. The meta -analysis will provide ICU physicians with the most current information to predict which patients are at risk of SAE and take corresponding intervention measures to reduce morbidity and ameliorate neurological outcomes. There is no need for ethics approval for this review. The findings will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number: CRD42023398736. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]