Cochrane · systematic review · CD011426
Topical antibiotics for preventing surgical site infection in wounds healing by primary intention
Heal, CF, Banks, JL, Lepper, PD, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2016 · Cochrane Library
WoundsAMSTAR 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
10
current version
GRADE rated
4
No studies
6
Included studies
NR
No studies 6 · 60%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 2 · 20%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 2 · 20%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
Topical antibiotics compared with no topical antibiotic.
Population: people presenting for surgery where healing of surgical wound(s) was planned to be by primary intention
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Surgical site infection Topical antibiotics vs no topical antibiotic. | RR 0.61 [0.42, 0.87] | 7 studies · 5427 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Allergic contact dermatitis Topical antibiotics vs no topical antibiotic. | RR 3.94 [0.46, 34] | 3 studies · 3012 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Anaphylaxis Topical antibiotics vs no topical antibiotic. | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Patterns of antibiotic resistance Topical antibiotics vs no topical antibiotic. | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Wounds healed 5‐14 days Topical antibiotics vs no topical antibiotic. | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Topical antibiotics compared with antiseptic
Population: people presenting for surgery where healing of surgical wound planned to be by primary intention
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Surgical site infection Topical antibiotics vs antiseptic | RR 0.49 [0.3, 0.8] | 4 studies · 1299 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Allergic contact dermatitis Topical antibiotics vs antiseptic | RR 0.97 [0.52, 1.82] | 1 study · 541 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Anaphylaxis Topical antibiotics vs antiseptic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Patterns of antibiotic resistance Topical antibiotics vs antiseptic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Wounds healed 5‐14 days Topical antibiotics vs antiseptic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |