What do systematic reviews say?

Children: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 201 participants
  GRADE not reported

Children: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

Children: higher dose/longer course showed no clear difference in new exacerbation during compared with lower dose/shorter course (low certainty).

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.38 [0.25, 7.47]
  2 studies · 231 participants
  Low
• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 2.17 [0.67, 7.01]
  1 study · 100 participants
  Very low

Children: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 34 participants
  GRADE not reported

Children: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

Children: higher dose/longer course showed no clear difference in all adverse events compared with lower dose/shorter course (moderate certainty).

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.67 [0.11, 4.08]
  1 study · 201 participants
  Moderate

Adults: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 44 participants
  Low

Adults: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

Adults: higher dose/longer course showed no clear difference in asthma symptoms Complete resolution by day 28 compared with lower dose/shorter course (low certainty).

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.55 [0.13, 2.26]
  1 study · 35 participants
  Low

Adults: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

It is very uncertain whether adults: higher dose/longer course changes new exacerbation in compared with lower dose/shorter course (very low certainty).

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.98 [0.17, 5.56]
  2 studies · 55 participants
  Very low
• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.62 [0.23, 1.68]
  3 studies · 122 participants
  Low

Adults: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 41 participants
  Very low

Adults: higher dose/longer course vs lower dose/shorter course

It is very uncertain whether adults: higher dose/longer course changes all adverse events compared with lower dose/shorter course (very low certainty).

• Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 4.15 [0.94, 18.41]
  1 study · 43 participants
  Very low

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

It is very uncertain whether single‐dose antibiotic changes no cure ‐ all trials compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (very low certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.28 [0.87, 1.88]
  13 studies · 1502 participants
  Very low

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

It is very uncertain whether single‐dose antibiotic changes recurrent asymptomatic bacteriuria ‐ all trials compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (very low certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.13 [0.77, 1.66]
  8 studies · 445 participants
  Very low

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

It is very uncertain whether single‐dose antibiotic changes pyelonephritis ‐ Same antimicrobial agent only4 compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (very low certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.09 [0.54, 17.55]
  2 studies · 102 participants
  Very low

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

Single‐dose antibiotic leads to higher low birthweight ‐ Same antimicrobial agent only compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (high certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.65 [1.06, 2.57]
  1 study · 714 participants
  High

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

Single‐dose antibiotic showed no clear difference in preterm delivery ‐ Same antimicrobial agent only compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (moderate certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.17 [0.77, 1.78]
  3 studies · 804 participants
  Moderate

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

Single‐dose antibiotic may leads to lower side effects ‐ all trials compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (low certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.7 [0.56, 0.88]
  12 studies · 1460 participants
  Low

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

Single‐dose antibiotic leads to higher same antimicrobial agent ‐ No cure (good quality studies) compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (high certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.72 [1.27, 2.33]
  2 studies · 803 participants
  High

Single‐dose antibiotic vs short duration antibiotics

Single‐dose antibiotic showed no clear difference in different antimicrobial agents ‐ No cure (good quality studies) compared with short‐course (four‐ to seven‐day) antibiotic (low certainty).

• Duration of treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.36 [0.24, 7.75]
  1 study · 84 participants
  Low

Single‐fraction radiotherapy (8 Gy) vs short‐course radiotherapy (16 Gy

Single‐fraction radiotherapy (8 Gy) showed no clear difference in ambulation One month after radiation compared with short‐course radiotherapy (16 Gy (moderate certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.93 [0.82, 1.04]
  1 study · 303 participants
  Moderate

Split‐course radiotherapy (8 fractions, 30 Gy) vs short‐course radiotherapy (16 Gy

Split‐course radiotherapy (8 fractions, 30 Gy) showed no clear difference in reduction in analgesic and narcotic use One month after radiation compared with short‐course radiotherapy (2 fractions, 16 Gy) (moderate certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.27 [0.96, 1.67]
  1 study · 262 participants
  Moderate

Split‐course radiotherapy (8 fractions, 30 Gy) vs short‐course radiotherapy (16 Gy

Split‐course radiotherapy (8 fractions, 30 Gy) showed no clear difference in urinary continence One month after radiation compared with short‐course radiotherapy (2 fractions, 16 Gy) (moderate certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of metastatic extradural spinal cord compression in adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.97 [0.93, 1.02]
  1 study · 275 participants
  Moderate