Comparing the quantity and quality of randomised placebo-controlled trials of antibiotics for acute respiratory, urinary, and skin and soft tissue infections: a scoping review.

anti-bacterial agent primary health care randomised controlled trials respiratory tract infections skin and soft tissues infections urinary tract infections

Journal

BJGP open
ISSN: 2398-3795
Titre abrégé: BJGP Open
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101713531

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Oct 2020
Historique:
received: 12 02 2020
accepted: 09 03 2020
pubmed: 1 10 2020
medline: 1 10 2020
entrez: 30 9 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

The management of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) should be guided by high quality evidence. To compare the quantity and quality of randomised placebo-controlled trials of antibiotics for ARIs, UTIs, and SSTIs. A scoping review of the literature was performed using comprehensive search strategies. PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for published studies from inception until 17 April 2019. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared participants in primary care or in the community who had uncomplicated acute ARI, UTI, or studies, and were randomised to antibiotic or placebo (or no active treatment), were eligible for inclusion. Two groups of researchers independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. A total of 108 eligible studies were identified: 80 on ARI, eight on UTI, and 20 on SSTI. The quality of studies varied with unclear risk of bias (RoB) prevalent in many domains. There was a gradual improvement in the quality of trials investigating ARIs over time, which could not be assessed in SSTI and UTI studies. This review highlights a sparsity of trials assessing the effectiveness of antibiotics in people with UTIs and SSTIs, compared to trials targeting ARIs. This gap in the evidence needs to be addressed by conducting further high quality trials on the effects of antibiotics in patients with UTI and SSTI.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The management of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) should be guided by high quality evidence.
AIM OBJECTIVE
To compare the quantity and quality of randomised placebo-controlled trials of antibiotics for ARIs, UTIs, and SSTIs.
DESIGN & SETTING METHODS
A scoping review of the literature was performed using comprehensive search strategies.
METHOD METHODS
PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for published studies from inception until 17 April 2019. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared participants in primary care or in the community who had uncomplicated acute ARI, UTI, or studies, and were randomised to antibiotic or placebo (or no active treatment), were eligible for inclusion. Two groups of researchers independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies.
RESULTS RESULTS
A total of 108 eligible studies were identified: 80 on ARI, eight on UTI, and 20 on SSTI. The quality of studies varied with unclear risk of bias (RoB) prevalent in many domains. There was a gradual improvement in the quality of trials investigating ARIs over time, which could not be assessed in SSTI and UTI studies.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
This review highlights a sparsity of trials assessing the effectiveness of antibiotics in people with UTIs and SSTIs, compared to trials targeting ARIs. This gap in the evidence needs to be addressed by conducting further high quality trials on the effects of antibiotics in patients with UTI and SSTI.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32994206
pii: bjgpopen20X101082
doi: 10.3399/bjgpopen20X101082
pmc: PMC7606140
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2020, The Authors.

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Auteurs

Mina Bakhit (M)

Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia mbakhit@bond.edu.au.

Tammy Hoffmann (T)

Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Miriam Santer (M)

Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Matthew Ridd (M)

Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Nick Francis (N)

Primary Care, Population Sciences and Medical Education, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Eva Hummers (E)

Department of General Practice, Göttingen University Medical Centre, Göttingen, Germany.

Justin Clark (J)

Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Carmen Hilliges (C)

Department of General Practice, Göttingen University Medical Centre, Göttingen, Germany.

Chris Del Mar (C)

Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Classifications MeSH