What do systematic reviews say?

Lomefloxacin vs fluoroquinolones

Lomefloxacin showed no clear difference in adverse effects of treatment ‐ any adverse effects compared with comparator fluoroquinolone (moderate certainty).

• Antimicrobial therapy for chronic bacterial prostatitis 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.64 [0.34, 1.21]
  2 studies · 215 participants
  Moderate

Oestrogen vs placebo or no treatment

Oestrogen showed no clear difference in number with adverse effects ‐ Local administration compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).

• Oestrogen therapy for urinary incontinence in post‐menopausal women 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.33 [0.32, 5.61]
  2 studies · 144 participants
  Moderate

Pilocarpine vs placebo

• Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Johnson 1993 (5 mg tds): sweating 37%, headache 15%, urinary frequency 14%, vasodilatation 12%, dizziness 10%, dyspepsia 10%, nausea 8%, asthenia 8%, diarrhoea 5%; 6% withdrew at 5 mg tds and 29% at 10 mg tds. LeVeque…
  2 studies · 278 participants
  GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs Artificial saliva

• Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Davies 1994: main side effects with pilocarpine were nausea 20%, sweating 15%, lacrimation 10%. One participant definitely withdrew because of side effects; another may have.
  1 study · 20 participants
  GRADE not reported

Flunarizine vs placebo

Flunarizine showed no clear difference in adverse effects ‐ Fatigue No of patients with fatigue compared with placebo (high certainty).

• Calcium antagonists as an add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.66 [0.59, 4.64]
  1 study · 93 participants
  High

Oestrogen vs placebo or no treatment

Oestrogen may leads to higher number with adverse effects ‐ Systemic administration compared with placebo or no treatment (low certainty).

• Oestrogen therapy for urinary incontinence in post‐menopausal women 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 13 [1.87, 90.21]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Low

Flunarizine vs placebo

Flunarizine showed no clear difference in adverse effects ‐ Vomiting No of patients with vomiting compared with placebo (high certainty).

• Calcium antagonists as an add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 4.09 [0.57, 29.16]
  1 study · 93 participants
  High

Flunarizine vs placebo

Flunarizine showed no clear difference in adverse effects ‐ Dizziness No of patients with dizziness compared with placebo (high certainty).

• Calcium antagonists as an add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.82 [0.72, 4.61]
  1 study · 93 participants
  High

Zonisamide vs placebo

Zonisamide may leads to higher adverse effects: ataxia (whole treatment period; any dose) compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Zonisamide add‐on therapy for focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.85
  4 studies · 734 participants
  Low

Zonisamide vs placebo

Zonisamide probably leads to higher adverse effects: nausea (whole treatment period; any dose) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Zonisamide add‐on therapy for focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.1
  5 studies · 805 participants
  Moderate

Benzodiazepines (lorazepam) vs chlorpromazine

It is very uncertain whether summary of findings: lorazepam changes number of adverse events including extrapyramidal effectsc compared with chlorpromazine (very low certainty).

• Drug therapy for delirium in terminally ill adults 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 7.12
  1 study · 18 participants
  Very low

Zonisamide vs placebo

Zonisamide probably leads to higher adverse effects: fatigue (whole treatment period; any dose) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Zonisamide add‐on therapy for focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.41
  6 studies · 1045 participants
  Moderate

Patient‐centred outcomes for oral vs IV iron

Patient‐centred outcomes for oral may leads to lower type of adverse event: all gastrointestinal adverse effects compared with IV iron (low certainty).

• Parenteral versus oral iron therapy for adults and children with chronic kidney disease 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.47 [0.33, 0.66]
  14 studies · 1986 participants
  Low

Zonisamide vs placebo

Zonisamide probably leads to higher adverse effects: dizziness (whole treatment period; any dose) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Zonisamide add‐on therapy for focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.4
  7 studies · 1429 participants
  Moderate

Any antihypertensive drug vs placebo or no treatment

Antihypertensive drug may leads to higher withdrawals due to adverse effects Mean duration of 4.6 years compared with placebo or no treatment (low certainty).

• Pharmacotherapy for hypertension in adults 60 years or older 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.91 [2.56, 3.3]
  4 studies · 11310 participants
  Low

Zonisamide vs placebo

Zonisamide probably leads to higher adverse effects: somnolence (whole treatment period; any dose) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Zonisamide add‐on therapy for focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.52
  8 studies · 1636 participants
  Moderate

Flunarizine vs placebo

Flunarizine showed no clear difference in adverse effects ‐ Irritability No of patients with irritability compared with placebo (high certainty).

• Calcium antagonists as an add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant epilepsy 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.07 [0.6, 15.68]
  1 study · 93 participants
  High

Vigabatrin vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether vigabatrin changes adverse effects: ataxia Duration of treatment (range): 7–36 weeks compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Vigabatrin add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.76 [0.96, 7.94]
  7 studies · 481 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

• Growth hormone therapy for people with thalassaemia 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 20 participants
  Moderate

Vigabatrin vs placebo

Vigabatrin may leads to higher adverse effects: fatigue Duration of treatment (range): 8–36 weeks compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Vigabatrin add‐on therapy for drug‐resistant focal epilepsy 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.65 [1.08, 2.51]
  9 studies · 709 participants
  Low