What do systematic reviews say?

Antibiotics vs placebo

Antibiotics showed no clear difference in children experiencing adverse effects of antibiotics (e.g.… compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Antibiotics for prolonged wet cough in children 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.88 [0.62, 5.69]
  3 studies · 190 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Delayed antibiotics vs immediate antibiotics

• Immediate versus delayed versus no antibiotics for respiratory infections 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  5 studies · 1302 participants
  Low

Antibiotics vs no antibiotics

• Antibiotic prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis for preventing infection after cesarean section 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antibiotics vs no antibiotics

• Antibiotic prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis for preventing infection after cesarean section 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antibiotics vs control

Antibiotic may leads to lower adverse effects compared with control (low certainty).

• Antibiotics for trachoma 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  9 studies · 1961 participants
  Low

Antibiotic prophylaxis vs no treatment

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for episiotomy repair following vaginal birth 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Summary of findings table ‐ Delayed antibiotics vs no antibiotics

• Immediate versus delayed versus no antibiotics for respiratory infections 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 674 participants
  Moderate

Antibiotics vs placebo, no treatment or therapy of unproven effectiveness

Antibiotics may leads to higher adverse effects compared with placebo, no treatment or therapy of unproven effectiveness (low certainty).

• Antibiotics for otitis media with effusion in children 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.15 [1.29, 3.6]
  5 studies · 742 participants
  Low

Topical antibiotics vs another topical antibiotic or placebo

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for corneal abrasion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  Low

Antibiotics vs placebo compared

Antibiotic therapy showed no clear difference in treatment harms (adverse events or side effects associated with… compared with placebo compared to placebo (low certainty).

• Antibiotic therapy versus no antibiotic therapy for children aged 2 to 59 months with WHO‐defined non‐severe pneumonia… 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81 [0.6, 1.09]
  3 studies · 3253 participants
  Low

Antibiotics vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether antibiotics changes total adverse effects compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for elective hysterectomy 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.8 [0.62, 5.18]
  2 studies · 430 participants
  Very low

Antibiotic prophylaxis vs no treatment or placebo

It is very uncertain whether routine antibiotic prophylaxis changes adverse effects of antibiotics (skin rash) compared with no treatment or placebo (very low certainty).

• Routine antibiotic prophylaxis after normal vaginal birth for reducing maternal infectious morbidity 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.03 [0.32, 28.95]
  2 studies · 1706 participants
  Very low

Antibiotics vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for elective hysterectomy 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Systemic antibiotics alone vs systematic antibiotics plus antibiotic lock solution

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating catheter‐related bloodstream infections in people receiving maintenance haemodialysis 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Antibiotics vs placebo or usual care

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for preventing mastitis after childbirth 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Antibiotics vs topical treatments

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for preventing mastitis after childbirth 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Antibiotics at time of replacement vs no antibiotics at time of replacement

It is very uncertain whether antibiotics at time of replacement changes adverse effects (Death) compared with no antibiotics at time of replacement (very low certainty).

• Policies for replacing long‐term indwelling urinary catheters in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.12 [0.2, 22.2]
  1 study · 70 participants
  Very low

Systemic antibiotics plus antibiotic lock solutions plus tissue plasminogen activator vs systemic antibiotics plus antibiotic lock solutions plus heparin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating catheter‐related bloodstream infections in people receiving maintenance haemodialysis 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Oral plus nebulised antibiotics vs oral antibiotics plus nebulised placebo

Oral plus nebulised antibiotics showed no clear difference in adverse effects of treatment compared with oral antibiotics plus nebulised placebo (low certainty).

• Interventions for the eradication of meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in people with cystic fibrosis 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 3 [0.11, 79.91]
  1 study · 29 participants
  Low

Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic

• Oral or topical nasal steroids for hearing loss associated with otitis media with effusion in children 2011 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 59 participants
  GRADE not reported