Comparison 1. Pentoxifylline with antibiotics (any dose or duration) compared to placebo or no intervention for the treatment of neonatal sepsis.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1.1 All‐cause mortality during hospital stay	6	1240	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.43 [0.32, 0.57]
1.1.1 All neonates	6	416	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.57 [0.35, 0.93]
1.1.2 Preterm neonates	4	277	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.38 [0.20, 0.71]
1.1.3 Late‐onset sepsis	3	169	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.42 [0.19, 0.95]
1.1.4 Confirmed sepsis	4	235	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.37 [0.19, 0.73]
1.1.5 Neonates with confirmed gram negative sepsis	4	143	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.33 [0.16, 0.72]
1.2 Chronic lung disease	1	120	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.50 [0.45, 5.05]
1.3 Severe intraventricular haemorrhage (grade 3 and 4)	1	120	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.75 [0.28, 2.03]
1.4 Periventricular leukomalacia	1	120	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.50 [0.10, 2.63]
1.5 Length of hospital stay	2	157	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐7.74 [‐11.72, ‐3.76]
1.6 Necrotising enterocolitis, any Bell stage	6	405	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.56 [0.29, 1.06]
1.7 Retinopathy of prematurity, any stage	1	120	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.40 [0.08, 1.98]