evidence/gaps
Cochrane · systematic review · CD001211

Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis

Chen, Y-Y, Liu, A-HS, Nurmatov, U, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2023 · Cochrane Library

Eyes and VisionAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
7
current version
GRADE rated
6
No studies
1
Included studies
NR
No studies 1 · 14.3%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 2 · 28.6%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 4 · 57.1%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Antibiotics versus placebo

Population: Participants with acute bacterial conjunctivitis
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Clinical efficacy (RR > 1 is favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
no estimate extracted4 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias
Microbiological efficacy (RR > 1 favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
no estimate extracted8 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias
Treatment incompletion (RR < 1 favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
RR 0.64 [0.52, 0.78]13 studies · 5573 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias
Persistent clinical infection after one course of treatment (RR < 1 favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
RR 0.73 [0.65, 0.81]19 studies · 5280 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias
Cost‐effectiveness of treatment
Antibiotics vs placebo
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Treatment‐associated ocular complications (RR < 1 or RD ≤ 0 favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
no estimate extractedNRVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Treatment‐associated systemic complications (RR < 1 favored)
Antibiotics vs placebo
no estimate extractedNRVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision