Antibiotics in severely malnourished children: systematic review of efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To systemically review the evidence in support of World Health Organization guidelines recommending broad-spectrum antibiotics for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Methods

CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, POPLINE, CAB Abstracts and ongoing trials registers were searched. Experts were contacted. Conference proceedings and reference lists were manually searched. All study types, except single case reports, were included.

Findings

Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one before-and-after study and two retrospective reports on clinical efficacy and safety were retrieved, together with 18 pharmacokinetic studies. Trial quality was generally poor and results could not be pooled due to heterogeneity. Oral amoxicillin for 5 days was as effective a

SUBMITTER: Lazzerini M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3150757 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature