Conclusion
Meta-analysis of the effects of N-acetylcysteine in preventing acute
kidney injury after cardiac surgery is questionable due to the different
dosage and different treatment time periods across different studies.
However, further analysis shows that perioperative high dosages of
N-acetylcysteine showed a significant protective effect in preventing
renal failure after adult cardiac surgery. Therefore, analysis of
primary outcomes confirms the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine. It
is recommended that N-acetylcysteine should be administered with beta
blockers such as carvedilol to maximise patient outcomes. Further
randomized controlled trials should be conducted to examine the effects
of administering high dosages of N-acetylcysteine with beta blocker
agents perioperatively. This would better elucidate the benefits of
administering N-acetylcysteine in order to maximise patient outcomes.