Forest plot showing the comparison of the duration of MV between the ET group and the LT/PI group.

<p>Forest plot showing the comparison of the duration of MV between the ET group and the LT/PI group.</p

Risk of bias graph: the authors’ judgments about each risk-of-bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.

<p>Risk of bias graph: the authors’ judgments about each risk-of-bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.</p

Selection process for randomized controlled trials included in the meta-analysis.

<p>Selection process for randomized controlled trials included in the meta-analysis.</p

Effects of clinical outcomes between patients performed ET or LT/PI within 4, 7 or 10 days.

<p>ICU, intensive care unit; MV, mechanical ventilation; VAP, ventilator-associated pneumonia; ET, early tracheotomy; LT, late tracheotomy; PI, prolonged intubation; RR, relative risks; WMD, weighted mean difference.</p

Summary Characteristics of the Study.

<p>ICU, intensive care unit; MV, mechanical ventilation; VAP, ventilator-associated pneumonia; CPIS, Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; ET, early tracheotomy; LT late tracheotomy; PI, prolonged intubation; PDT, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy; ST, surgery technique; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage.</p

Forest plot showing the comparison of the long-term mortality between the ET group and the LT/PI group.

<p>Forest plot showing the comparison of the long-term mortality between the ET group and the LT/PI group.</p

Tests for publication bias for RR of the shorter-term mortality.

<p>Tests for publication bias for RR of the shorter-term mortality.</p

Risk-of-bias summary: the authors’ judgments about each risk-of-bias item for the included studies.

<p>Risk-of-bias summary: the authors’ judgments about each risk-of-bias item for the included studies.</p

Forest plot showing the incidence of VAP between the ET group and the LT/PI group.

<p>Forest plot showing the incidence of VAP between the ET group and the LT/PI group.</p

Forest plot showing the comparison of the length of ICU stay between the ET group and the LT/PI group.

<p>Forest plot showing the comparison of the length of ICU stay between the ET group and the LT/PI group.</p