Comparison 2. Antibiotics vs placebo ‐ sensitivity analysis and post hoc subgroup analysis.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
2.1 Clinical cure at end of therapy ‐ mITT population, excluding trials of high risk bias	10	2832	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.29 [1.21, 1.38]
2.1.1 Low risk of bias	2	496	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.15 [0.96, 1.38]
2.1.2 Some concerns	8	2336	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.32 [1.23, 1.42]
2.2 Microbiological efficacy at end of therapy ‐ mITT population, excluding age < 1 month or no reporting of age limit	9	2650	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.48 [1.30, 1.67]
2.2.1 Minimum age: 18 years	2	193	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.82 [1.33, 2.49]
2.2.2 Minimum age: one year	6	1610	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.48 [1.25, 1.76]
2.2.3 Minimum age: one month	1	847	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.33 [1.20, 1.47]
2.3 Clinical cure at test of cure ‐ mITT population, excluding Karpecki 2009	4	681	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.22 [1.04, 1.42]
2.3.1 Fluoroquinolone	2	166	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.35 [1.11, 1.65]
2.3.2 Non‐fluoroquinolone	2	515	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.14 [0.94, 1.39]
2.4 Microbiological efficacy at test of cure ‐ mITT population, excluding Karpecki 2009	11	2177	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.38 [1.26, 1.51]
2.4.1 Fluoroquinolone	9	1861	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.36 [1.24, 1.50]
2.4.2 Non‐fluoroquinolone	2	316	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.52 [1.20, 1.93]
2.5 Persistent clinical infection, excluding Karpecki 2009	18	5164	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.72 [0.64, 0.80]
2.5.1 Fluoroquinolone	13	4171	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.74 [0.65, 0.84]
2.5.2 Non‐fluoroquinolone	5	993	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.65 [0.52, 0.82]
2.6 Treatment‐related ocular adverse events ‐ rate ratio, excluding Karpecki 2009	8		Rate Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.12 [0.76, 1.64]
2.6.1 Non‐fluoroquinolone	1		Rate Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	5.25 [0.61, 44.93]
2.6.2 Fluoroquinolone	7		Rate Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.07 [0.73, 1.55]
2.7 Treatment‐related ocular adverse events ‐ risk ratio, excluding Comstock 2012	6		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.7.1 Fluoroquinolone	4	3455	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.54, 0.90]
2.7.2 Non‐fluoroquinolone	2	489	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	4.23 [1.33, 13.46]
2.8 Treatment‐related ocular adverse events ‐ rate difference per 1000 person‐days, excluding Comstock 2012	10		Rate difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.17 [‐1.73, 4.07]
2.8.1 Non‐fluoroquinolone	2		Rate difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	2.60 [‐0.17, 5.37]
2.8.2 Fluoroquinolone	8		Rate difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.11 [‐4.39, 4.60]