What do systematic reviews say?

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

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

Point‐of‐care biomarkers (C‐reactive protein) 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
  9 studies · 7737 participants
  Low

Cefepime vs ceftazidime

It is very uncertain whether cefepime changes all‐cause mortality Maximum compared with ceftazidime (very low certainty).

• Antibiotics for hospital‐acquired pneumonia in neonates and children 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.14 [0.01, 2.55]
  1 study · 30 participants
  Very low

Linezolid vs vancomycin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotics for hospital‐acquired pneumonia in neonates and children 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Linezolid vs vancomycin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotics for hospital‐acquired pneumonia in neonates and children 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Cefepime vs ceftazidime

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotics for hospital‐acquired pneumonia in neonates and children 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in mortality in children with HIV infection ‐ overall (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for preventing lower respiratory tract infections in high‐risk children aged 12 years and under 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.82 [0.46, 1.46]
  3 studies · 1344 participants
  Moderate

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in mortality in children with HIV infection ‐ isoniazid prophylaxis only (low certainty).

• Antibiotics for preventing lower respiratory tract infections in high‐risk children aged 12 years and under 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.92 [0.31, 2.77]
  2 studies · 810 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention probably leads to lower mortality in children with HIV infection ‐ co‐trimoxazole… (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for preventing lower respiratory tract infections in high‐risk children aged 12 years and under 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.53, 0.85]
  1 study · 534 participants
  Moderate