What do systematic reviews say?

Intervention vs any comparison

• Methods of decreasing infection to improve outcomes after liver resections 2011 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 180 participants
  Very low

Summary of findings ‐ AZLI vs placebo

Summary of findings ‐ AZLI showed no clear difference in mortality compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotic therapy for chronic infection with Burkholderia cepacia complex in people with cystic fibrosis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 5.41 [0.27, 109.87]
  1 study · 100 participants
  Moderate

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

• Prophylactic antibiotics for penetrating abdominal trauma: duration of use and antibiotic choice 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 160 participants
  Very low

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

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

Intervention not reported

It is very uncertain whether the intervention changes mortality (very low certainty).

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients with ascites, without… 2009 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.61 [0.43, 0.87]
  7 studies · 538 participants
  Very low

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

Topical plus systemic prophylaxis vs placebo or no treatment

Topical plus systemic prophylaxis leads to lower overall mortality compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Topical antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce respiratory tract infections and mortality in adults receiving mechanical… 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.84 [0.73, 0.96]
  18 studies · 5290 participants
  High

Topical prophylaxis vs no topical prophylaxis

Topical prophylaxis showed no clear difference in overall mortality compared with no topical prophylaxis (moderate certainty).

• Topical antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce respiratory tract infections and mortality in adults receiving mechanical… 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.96 [0.87, 1.05]
  22 studies · 4213 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

Quinolone vs macrolides

• Head‐to‐head oral prophylactic antibiotic therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 50 participants
  GRADE not reported