Description of analyzed treatment comparisons
| Study | Comparison* | Admission outcome | Type of condition or disease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poole et al.8 | Mucolytic agents for chronic bronchitis or COPD | Admission | Respiratory |
| Walters et al.9 | Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of COPD | Cause-specific readmission | Respiratory |
| Barr et al.10 | Tiotropium v. ipratropium, salmeterol or placebo for stable COPD | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Ducharme et al.11 | Addition of long-acting β2-agonists to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma (adults and children) | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Cates et al.12 | Salmeterol for chronic asthma (adults and children) | Admission | Respiratory |
| Nannini et al.13 | Combined fluticasone + salmeterol v. fluticasone for COPD | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Nannini et al.14 | Combined fluticasone + salmeterol v. salmeterol for COPD | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Spencer et al.15 | Long-acting β2-agonists v. inhaled corticosteroids for COPD | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Cates et al.16 | Combined budesonide + formoterol v. terbutaline to relieve chronic asthma | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Cates et al.17 | Single inhaler therapy v. current best practice for chronic asthma (adults and children) | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Welsh et al.18 | Formoterol v. short-acting β2-agonists to relieve asthma (adults and children) | Cause-specific admission | Respiratory |
| Karner et al.19 | Tiotropium + inhaled corticosteroid + long-acting β2-agonist v. tiotropium + placebo for COPD | Admission | Respiratory |
| Abba et al.20 | Albendazole in neurocysticercosis (adults and children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Walters et al.21 | Pneumococcal vaccine in COPD | Admission | Infectious |
| Poole et al.22 | Influenca vaccine in COPD | Admission | Infectious |
| Soares-Weiser et al.23 | Rotavirus vaccination for preventing diarrhea (children) | Cause-specific admission | Infectious |
| Grimwade et al.24 | Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis for opportunistic infections in HIV | Admission | Infectious |
| Grimwade et al.25 | Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis for opportunistic infections in HIV (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Meremikwu et al.26 | Chemoprophylaxis and intermittent treatment for preventing malaria (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Kabra et al.27 | Chloramphenicol v. penicillin + gentamicin for community-acquired pneumonia (children) | Readmission | Infectious |
| Lucero et al.28 | Pneumococcal conjugate vaccination v. placebo or other vaccination (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Thomas et al.29 | Offer of influenza vaccine for health care workers who work with older adults | Admission | Infectious |
| Graves et al.30 | SPf66 vaccine for preventing malaria (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Okebe et al.31 comparison A | Iron supplements + antimalarial treatment in malaria-endemic areas (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Okebe et al.31 comparison B | Iron supplements + folic acid in malaria-endemic areas (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Okebe et al.31 comparison C | Iron supplements for proven malaria (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Okebe et al.31 comparison D | Iron supplements in malaria-endemic areas (children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Soares-Weiser et al.32 comparison A | RotaTeq to prevent rotavirus diarrhea (children) | Cause-specific admission | Infectious |
| Soares-Weiser et al.32 comparison B | Rotarix to prevent rotavirus diarrhea (children) | Cause-specific admission | Infectious |
| Humphreys et al.33 comparison A | Cotrimoxazole to prevent diarrhea in children with HIV or exposure to maternal HIV | Cause-specific admission | Infectious |
| Humphreys et al.33 comparison B | Vitamin A to prevent diarrhea in children with HIV | Cause-specific admission | Infectious |
| Phelps et al.34 | d-Penicillamine to prevent retinopathy of prematurity in infants born preterm | Readmission | Neonatal |
| Halliday et al.35 | Late postnatal corticosteroids for chronic lung disease in infants born preterm | Readmission | Neonatal |
| Halliday et al.36 | Early postnatal corticosteroids to prevent chronic lung disease in infants born preterm | Readmission | Neonatal |
| Stewart et al.37 | Thiazide with spironolactone in infants born preterm with (or developing) chronic lung disease | Cause-specific readmission | Neonatal |
| Ryan et al.38 | Inhaled antipseudomonal antibiotic for long-term therapy in cystic fibrosis (adults and children) | Admission | Infectious |
| Roderick et al.39 | Bicarbonate for correction of chronic metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease | Admission | Other |
| Baldwin et al.40 | Dietary advice plus nutritional supplements v. dietary advice for disease-related malnutrition | Admission or Readmission | Other |
| Cohen et al.41 | Antibiotic prophylaxis for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis with ascites without gastrointestinal bleeding | Readmission | Infectious |
| Komossa et al.42 | Olanzapine v. clozapine for schizophrenia | Readmission | Other |
| Ngo et al.43 | Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for anemia in chronic heart failure | Cause-specific admission | Other |
| Baumeister et al.44 | Pharmacological interventions for depression in coronary artery disease | Admission | Other |
| Imdad et al.45 | Vitamin A for preventing morbidity and death (children) | Admission | Other |
| Hofmeyr et al.46 | Transcervical amnioinfusion for intrapartum umbilical cord compression | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Duley et al.47 | Diazepam v. magnesium sulfate for eclampsia | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Duley et al.48 | Phenytoin v. magnesium sulfate for eclampsia | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| King et al.49 | Prophylactic antibiotics for inhibiting preterm labour with intact membranes | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Makrides et al.50 | Magnesium supplementation in pregnancy | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Abalos et al.51 comparison A | Any antihypertensive agent for mild to moderate hypertension in pregnancy | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Abalos et al.51 comparison B | Any antihypertensive agent v. methyldopa for mild to moderate hypertension in pregnancy | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Alfirevic et al.52† | Oxytocin for cervical ripening and induction of labour | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Dodd et al.53 | Betamimetics for maintenance therapy after threatened preterm labour | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Crowther et al.54 | Repeat doses v. single course of prenatal corticosteroids for women at risk of preterm birth | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Rumbold et al.55 | Any vitamin supplementation to prevent miscarriage | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Rumbold et al.56 | Any antioxidants to prevent preeclampsia | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Roberts et al.57 | Antenatal corticosteroids to accelerate fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Peña-Rosas et al.58 | Iron supplementation in pregnancy | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Buppasiri et al.59 | Calcium supplementation (other than to prevent or treat hypertension) in pregnancy | Admission | Maternal–fetal |
| Hood et al.60 | Digitalis for congestive heart failure in patients in sinus rhythm | Admission | Cardiovascular |
| Martin-Rendon et al.61 | Stem cell treatment for acute myocardial infarction | Readmission | Cardiovascular |
| Martí-Carvajal et al.62 | Homocysteine lowering to prevent cardiovascular events | Cause-specific admission | Cardiovascular |