Comparison of normal saline solution with low-chloride solutions in renal transplants: a meta-analysis

Background Normal saline solution (NSS) has been the fluid of choice for renal transplant patients, but it can lead to hyperchloremic acidosis and hyperkalemia. This study was performed to compare the safety profile of low-chloride solutions with that of NSS in renal transplant patients. Methods We conducted a systemic review search on PubMed, Embase, and the Central Cochrane Registry. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and matched cohort studies involving NSS as the control arm and low-chloride solutions as an intervention arm were chosen. The standardized mean difference for continuous variables, the odds ratio (OR) for discrete variables, and a 95% confidence interval (CI) for effect sizes were used. A p-value of