Chlorhexidine Gluconate vs. Povidone-Iodine for Surgical Site Infection Prevention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Stratified by Surgery Type, Wound Classification, Antiseptic Formulation, and Country Income, with Meta-Regression

The comparative effectiveness of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) versus povidone-iodine (PVI) for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) remains unclear across surgical types and resource settings. This study compared CHG and PVI overall and within key clinical subgroups.