Table 6.

Meta-analysis D: rates of nosocomial pneumonia in patients treated with sucralfate or placebo (two randomised studies)

Reference	Rate of nosocomial pneumonia		Odds ratio (95% CI)	Definition of pneumonia
	Sucralfate	Placebo
Ben-Menachem et al, 199418	12/100	6/100	2.05 (0.79 to 5.76)	Each of criteria: chest roentenogram obtained ⩾72 hours after admission to intensive care that showed new and persistent infiltrate; fever, leucocytosis, or both; purulent tracheobronchial secretions; Gram stained sputum showing >25 polymorphonuclear leucocytes and <10 squamous epithelial cells/low power field; recovery of accepted nosocomial pathogen from sputum culture
Eddleston et al, 199417	1/14	0/12	2.78 (not computable)	New and progressive infiltrate on chest radiograph; unexplained reduction in PaO2; positive culture from tracheal aspirate plus either pyrexia (>38°C) or increase in blood leucocyte count (>3×109 cells/l)
Total	13/114 (11%)	6/112 (5%)	—