What do systematic reviews say?

Anaerobic coverage only vs gram‐negative and anaerobic coverage

• Prophylactic antibiotics for penetrating abdominal trauma: duration of use and antibiotic choice 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 417 participants
  Very low

Gram‐negative and anaerobic coverage vs gram‐positive, gram‐negative, and anaerobic coverage

• Prophylactic antibiotics for penetrating abdominal trauma: duration of use and antibiotic choice 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 177 participants
  Very low

Gram‐positive and gram‐negative coverage vs gram‐negative and anaerobic coverage

It is very uncertain whether gram‐positive and gram‐negative coverage changes mortality compared with gram‐negative and anaerobic coverage (very low certainty).

• Prophylactic antibiotics for penetrating abdominal trauma: duration of use and antibiotic choice 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.55 [0.11, 2.77]
  3 studies · 555 participants
  Very low

Anaerobic coverage only vs gram‐positive, gram‐negative, and anaerobic coverage

• Prophylactic antibiotics for penetrating abdominal trauma: duration of use and antibiotic choice 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 309 participants
  Very low

Early discontinuation of antibiotic treatment vs treatment until neutropenia resolution

Early discontinuation of antibiotic treatment showed no clear difference in mortality compared with treatment until neutropenia resolution (low certainty).

• Early discontinuation of antibiotics for febrile neutropenia versus continuation until neutropenia resolution in… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.38 [0.73, 2.62]
  8 studies · 603 participants
  Low

Macrolides vs no intervention

• Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 88 participants
  Very low

Macrolides vs placebo

• Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 42 participants
  Low

Macrolides vs no intervention

• Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 34 participants
  Low

Procalcitonin algorithm vs usual care

Procalcitonin algorithm leads to lower mortality compared with standard care (high certainty).

• Procalcitonin to initiate or discontinue antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.83 [0.7, 0.99]
  26 studies · 6708 participants
  High

Vitamin D vs placebo

Vitamin D showed no clear difference in mortality rate ( compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.69 [0.44, 1.07]
  3 studies · 584 participants
  Low

Antibiotics vs antibiotics during postpartum period

• Antibiotic regimens for management of intra‐amniotic infection 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

• Antibiotics for prelabour rupture of membranes at or near term 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 1906 participants
  GRADE not reported

Macrolides vs placebo

• Macrolide antibiotics for bronchiectasis 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  7 studies · 540 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Prophylactic antibiotics or G(M)‐CSF for the prevention of infections and improvement of survival in cancer patients… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Intervention not reported

• Prophylactic antibiotics or G(M)‐CSF for the prevention of infections and improvement of survival in cancer patients… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 115 participants
  Low

Antibiotics vs placebo or no antibiotic

Any antibiotic showed no clear difference in perinatal mortality compared with placebo or no antibiotic (low certainty).

• Antibiotics for prelabour rupture of membranes at or near term 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.98 [0.6, 6.55]
  4 studies · 2639 participants
  Low

Continuous vs Intermittent Antibiotic Infusions

Continuous showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality compared with intermittent Antibiotic Infusions (moderate certainty).

• Continuous versus intermittent infusions of antibiotics for the treatment of severe acute infections 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.67, 1.2]
  19 studies · 1241 participants
  Moderate

Monotherapy vs combination therapy

Monotherapy showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality; compared with combination therapy (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.97 [0.73, 1.3]
  4 studies · 1163 participants
  Moderate

Carbapenems vs non‐carbapenems

Carbapenems showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality; compared with non‐carbapenems (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for ventilator‐associated pneumonia 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.59 [0.3, 1.19]
  1 study · 253 participants
  Moderate

Point‐of‐care biomarkers (procalcitonin) for infection vs usual care

• Biomarkers as point‐of‐care tests to guide prescription of antibiotics in people with acute respiratory infections in… 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 277 participants
  GRADE not reported