Table 2.

General characteristics of randomised clinical trials included in meta-analysis. Data were aggregate or for individual patients or both. End points were respiratory tract infection or mortality or both

Study name	Type of treatment		Mean age (years)	Trauma patients (%)	Surgical patients (%)	Medical patients (%)	Type of data	End points
	Topical	Systemic
Abele-Horn et al19	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Cefotaxime	41.5	84	16	0	Aggregate	Both
Aerdts et al20	Polymyxin, norfloxacin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	46.7	34	26	40	Both	Both
Blair et al21	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	47.6	40	46	14	Both	Both
Boland et al22	Polymyxin, tobramycin, nystatin	Ceftriaxone	33.9	100	0	0	Both	Both
Brun-Buisson et al35	Polymyxin, neomycin, nalidixic acid	None	59.0	2	23	75	Both	Both
Cerra et al36	Norfloxacin, nystatin	None	63.5	4	96	0	Aggregate	Mortality
Cockerill et al23	Nystatin, polymyxin, gentamicin	Ceftriaxone	65.0	34	48	18	Both	Both
Ferrer et al45	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	61.0	20	14	66	Both	Both
Finch et al24	Polymyxin, gentamicin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	59.2	4	37	59	Both	Both
Gastinne et al37	Tobramycin, amphotericin, polymyxin		55.0	15	13	72	Both	Both
Gaussorgues et al46	Polymyxin, gentamicin, vancomycin, amphotericin	Not specified	57.0	17	0	83	Aggregate	Mortality
Georges et al38	Polymyxin, netilmicin, amphotericin	None	32.3	100	0	0	Both	Both
Hammond et al47	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	43.3	31	14	55	Both	Both
Jacobs et al25	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	51.5	18	57	25	Aggregate	Both
Jacobs and Zuleika*	Polymyxin, gentamicin, amphotericin	None	49.4	21	21	58	Both	Both
Kerver et al26	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	55.6	28	60	12	Aggregate	Both
Korinek et al39	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin, vancomycin	None	45.0	50	50	0	Both	Both
Laggner et al48	Gentamicin, amphotericin	Not specified	53.8	2	10	88	Both	Both
Lenhart et al27	Polymyxin, gentamicin	Ciprofloxacin	Information not available				Aggregate	Mortality
Lingnau et al49	1: Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin 2: Polymyxin, ciprofloxacin, amphotericin	Ciprofloxacin	38.0	100	0	0	Both	Both
Palomar et al28	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	45.5	50	10	40	Both	Both
Pugin et al40	Polymyxin, vancomycin, neomicin	None	45.5	56	33	11	Both	Both
Quinio et al41	Polymyxin, gentamicin, amphotericin	None	34.6	98	0	2	Both	Both
Rocha et al29	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	43.5	68	4	28	Both	Both
Rodriguez-Roldan et al42	Polymyxin, tobramycin/netilmicin, amphotericin	None	51.3	42	19	39	Both	Both
Sanchez-Garcia et al30	Polymyxin, gentamicin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	54.4	18	12	70	Both	Both
Stoutenbeek et al3	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	40.4	100	0	0	Both	Both
Stoutenbeek et al31	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftriaxone	39.8	100	0	0	Both	Both
Ulrich et al32	Polymyxin, norfloxacin, amphotericin	Trimethoprim	62.0	16	50	34	Both	Both
Unertl et al43	Polymyxin, gentamicin, amphotericin		49.4	33	15	52	Aggregate	Both
Verwaest et al33	1: Ofloxacin, amphotericin 2: Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	1: Ofloxacin	55.8	23	67	10	Both	Both
		2: Ceftriaxone
Wiener et al44	Polymyxin, gentamicin, nystatin	None	Information not available				Aggregate	Both
Winter et al34	Polymyxin, tobramycin, amphotericin	Ceftazidime	59.2	13	47	40	Both	Both

^*Personal communication.