| Study | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
| Atkinson 2007 | Review of studies: cited most recent evidence for treating M. pneumoniae as "inconclusive" |
| Block 1995 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ clarithromycin versus erythromycin ethylsuccinate |
| Bradley 2007 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria and no specified aetiology. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between fluoroquinolone and macrolides ‐ levofloxacin versus clarithromycin/ceftriaxone with clarithromycin/erythromycin lactobionate. M. pneumoniae affecting the LRT and its treatments were not specifically identified |
| Chien 1993 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ clarithromycin versus erythromycin |
| Esposito 2006 | No focus on LRTIs. URTIs were the focus of this study |
| Fonseca‐Aten 2006 | No specified aetiology. M. pneumoniae affecting the LRT and its treatments were not specifically identified |
| Jensen 1967 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria and study not randomised. Study looked at treatment of all affected individuals with oxytetracycline and there was no placebo group. Household contacts were treated with either oxytetracycline or placebo to determine effectiveness of oxytetracycline in secondary prevention of mycoplasma infections. Allocation of treatment of household contacts was not randomised |
| Lee 2008 | Does not meet the inclusion criteria and too few participants. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from macrolide groups ‐ clarithromycin versus erythromycin. Only 26 participants |
| Lee 2012 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. A small‐scale (36 participants completed), adult‐focused RCT with inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between fluoroquinolone and combination macrolide and cephalosporin |
| Manfredi 1992 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ azithromycin versus erythromycin |
| Nogeova 1997 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the cephalosporin group ‐ ceftibuten versus cefuroxime‐axetil |
| Ronchetti 1994 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ azithromycin versus josamycin |
| Sakata 2001 | Study participants were not randomised |
| Schonwald 1990 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ azithromycin versus erythromycin |
| Sempertegui 2014 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between standard antimicrobial +/‐ zinc as an adjunct therapy |
| Simon 2006 | Article unavailable for evaluation |
| Vasilos 1995 | Study participants were not randomised |
| Wu 2014 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between azithromycin +/‐ glucocorticoids as adjunct therapy |
| Yin 2002 | Does not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Inappropriate comparator intervention as comparison between 2 drugs from the macrolide group ‐ oral azithromycin versus intravenous erythromycin |
LRT: lower respiratory tract LRTI: lower respiratory tract infection RCT: randomised controlled trial URTI: upper respiratory tract infection