Zhang P, Wu L, Shi X, et al. - Researchers analyzed 14 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1,238 patients, to determine if intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) reduces pulmonary complications among anesthetized patients undergoing surgery. The included studies were identified from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. These RCTs have compared intraoperative PEEP vs zero PEEP for postoperative pulmonary complications in adults. Postoperative pulmonary atelectasis was the prespecified primary outcome. No definitive conclusions were drawn because the evidence that intraoperative PEEP decreases postoperative pulmonary complications is suggestive but not sufficiently reliable.