What do systematic reviews say?

Antibiotics vs placebo

Antibiotics probably leads to lower treatment failure within 4 weeks ‐ drugs not currently used ‐ ICU compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.19 [0.08, 0.45]
  1 study · 93 participants
  Moderate

Antibiotics vs placebo

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 300 participants
  High

Antibiotics vs placebo

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 94 participants
  Moderate

Antibiotics vs placebo

Antibiotics showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality ‐ inpatients compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 2.48 [0.94, 6.55]
  2 studies · 214 participants
  Moderate

Antibiotics vs placebo

Antibiotics probably leads to lower all‐cause mortality ‐ ICU patients compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.21 [0.06, 0.72]
  1 study · 93 participants
  Moderate

Antibiotics vs placebo overall

Antibiotics showed no clear difference in adverse events ‐ diarrhoea compared with placebo overall (moderate certainty).

• Antibiotics for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.68 [0.92, 3.07]
  5 studies · 1099 participants
  Moderate

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 159 participants
  Low

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 138 participants
  Very low

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 44 participants
  Very low

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 44 participants
  Very low

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  5 studies · 122 participants
  Very low

NMES and exercise vs exercise (with or without sham NMES)

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 144 participants
  Low

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 35 participants
  Low

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 124 participants
  Low

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 72 participants
  Low

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 55 participants
  Very low

NMES vs usual care with or without sham interventions

• Neuromuscular electrostimulation for adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 72 participants
  Very low