Evidence Hub

Fluoroquinolones or macrolides in combination with β-lactams in adult patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Vardakas KZ, Trigkidis KK, Falagas ME

Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2017

16 participants · 28 citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The best treatment option for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has not been defined. The effectiveness of β-lactam/fluoroquinolone (BLFQ) versus β-lactam/macrolide (BLM) combinations for the treatment of patients with CAP was evaluated.

METHODS: PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched for observational cohort studies, non-randomized and randomized controlled trials providing data for patients with CAP receiving BLM or BLFQ. Mortality was the primary outcome. A meta-analysis was performed. MINORS and GRADE were used for data quality assessment.

RESULTS: Seventeen studies (16 684 patients) were included. Randomized trials were not identified. A variety of β-lactams, fluoroquinolones and macrolides were used within and between the studies. Mortality was reported at different time points. The available body of evidence had very low quality. In the analysis of unadjusted data, mortality with BLFQ was higher than with BLM (risk ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.15-1.54, I2 28%). BLFQ was associated with higher mortality regardless of the study design, mortality recording time, study period and study BLM group mortality. BLFQ was associated with higher mortality in American but not European studies. No difference was observed in patients with bacteraemia and septic shock. In the meta-analysis of adjusted mortality data, a non-significant difference between the two regimens was observed (eight studies, adjusted risk ratio 1.26, 95% CI…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 16 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free