What do systematic reviews say?

Opioids vs other analgesics and sedatives

It is very uncertain whether opioids changes neonatal mortality compared with other analgesics and sedatives (very low certainty).

• Opioids for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.31 [0.01, 7.16]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Very low

Morphine vs diamorphine

It is very uncertain whether morphine changes neonatal mortality compared with diamorphine (very low certainty).

• Opioids for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.17 [0.43, 3.19]
  1 study · 88 participants
  Very low

Opioids vs placebo or no treatment

Opioids showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).

• Opioids for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.12 [0.8, 1.55]
  5 studies · 1189 participants
  Moderate

Fentanyl vs sufentanil

• Opioids for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  Very low

Fentanyl vs remifentanil

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Opioids for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 1: community‐based antibiotic delivery vs usual care

Comparison 1: community‐based antibiotic delivery may leads to lower neonatal mortality compared with standard care (low certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.82 [0.68, 0.99]
  5 studies · 125134 participants
  Low

Comparison 2: any simplified antibiotic regimen vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: any simplified antibiotic regimen showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with the standard antibiotic regimen (7 days injectable benzylpenicillin… (moderate certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81 [0.44, 1.5]
  3 studies · 3476 participants
  Moderate

Comparison 2: 7 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 7 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (moderate certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.84 [0.47, 1.51]
  3 studies · 2001 participants
  Moderate

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable… showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (low certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.88 [0.29, 2.65]
  3 studies · 2036 participants
  Low

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin… showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (moderate certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.24, 1.85]
  1 study · 893 participants
  Moderate

Comparison 2: 7 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 7 days oral amoxicillin showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (low certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.99 [0.2, 4.91]
  1 study · 1406 participants
  Low

Community health educational interventions vs control

Community health educational interventions may leads to lower neonatal mortality compared with control (low certainty).

• Community‐based maternal and newborn educational care packages for improving neonatal health and survival in low‐ and… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.87 [0.78, 0.96]
  26 studies · 553111 participants
  Low
• Community‐based maternal and newborn educational care packages for improving neonatal health and survival in low‐ and… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.88 [0.79, 0.98]
  22 studies · 497258 participants
  Moderate

Prebiotic vs no prebiotics

Feeding supplementation with prebiotics showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with no prebiotics (low certainty).

• Prebiotics for the prevention of hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.14, 6.19]
  2 studies · 78 participants
  Low

Antibiotics on removal of central venous catheter vs no antibiotics

• Antibiotics at the time of removal of central venous catheter to reduce morbidity and mortality in newborn infants 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 88 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality (low certainty).

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.11 [0.01, 2.04]
  1 study · 140 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality (low certainty).

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.2 [0.01, 4.03]
  1 study · 202 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

The intervention leads to lower neonatal mortality (high certainty).

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81 [0.71, 0.92]
  3 studies · 31084 participants
  High

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality (high certainty).

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.03 [0.87, 1.23]
  1 study · 17530 participants
  High

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality (moderate certainty).

• Chlorhexidine skin or cord care for prevention of mortality and infections in neonates 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.98 [0.67, 1.42]
  1 study · 4904 participants
  Moderate