Delayed antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections: individual patient data meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the overall effect of delayed antibiotic prescribing on average symptom severity for patients with respiratory tract infections in the community, and to identify any factors modifying this effect.

Design

Systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Data sources

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, EBSCO CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science.

Eligibility criteria for study selection

Randomised controlled trials and observational cohort studies in a community setting that allowed comparison between delayed versus no antibiotic prescribing, and delayed versus immediate antibiotic prescribing.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was the average symptom severity two to four days after t

SUBMITTER: Stuart B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8080136 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature