Table 3. Categorization of studies on therapeutic approach.

Author Country Year	Type of study Number	Relevance for inclusion	Results and conclusions
Scanlon KM 7 USA 2015	Review -	New potential treatments for pertussis	Clinical studies needed to evaluate effectiveness of Pendrin and Acetazolamide
Kilgore PE 8 USA 2016	Review -	Review of microbiology, clinical aspects, treatment and prevention	Comprehensive review on pertussis
Dierig A 11 Switzerland 2015	Case report 2	Duration of treatment with clarithromycin	Positive PCR tests after seven days of clarithromycin
Wood N 20 Australia 2008	Review -	Review of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention	Broad review
Berger JT 25 USA 2013	Cohort 127	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	Hyperleukocytosis reduced by Nitric oxide Exchange transfusion indicated for pulmonary hypertension
Halperin SA 26 Canada 1997	Controlled, randomized, double blind study 168	Time of erythromycin use for bacteria eradication	Seven days of erythromycin as effective as 14 days for bacterial eradication in the nasopharynx
Altunaiji S 40 USA 2007	Systematic review 13	Treatment and prophylaxis of pertussis	All macrolides eradicate bacteria but do not alter the course of the disease
Bass JW 41 Hawaii 1986	Controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial 50	Classical study: use of erythromycin for treatment and prevention	Erythromycin more effective than other antibiotics for bacterial eradication
Tiwari T, CDC 42 USA 2005	Recommendation	Antibiotic therapy and chemoprophylaxis	Recommends replacement of erythromycin with azithromycin
Langley JM 43 Canada 2004	Randomized, double blind clinical study 477	Azithromycin and erythromycin Eradication of bacteria, clinical and adverse effects	Seven days of azithromycin as effective as 14 days of erythromycin, with fewer adverse effects
Korgenski 44 USA 1997	Experimental study 47	Resistance of B. pertussis to erythromycin	Resistance of B. pertussis to erythromycin was uncommon (1985 to 1997)
Lebel MH 45 USA 2001	Randomized, single blind study 153	Clarithromycin and azithromycin: efficacy and safety	Clarithromycin as effective as erythromycin with fewer side effects
Lund M 46 USA 2014	Multicenter cohort study 999,378	Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis as an adverse effect of macrolides	Use of macrolides in neonates increased the risk of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
Surridge J 47 New Zealand 2007	Cohort 72	Severe pertussis: clinic and severity criteria	Apnea and early paroxysms (less than a week of symptoms) are signs of severity and require ICU admission
Romano MJ 49 USA 2004	Case report 1	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	Exchange transfusion effective for leukoreduction
Nieves D 50 Canada 2013	Descriptive study10	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	Exchange transfusion effective if performed early, before organ failure
Rowlands HE 51 England 2010	Descriptive study19	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	Leukoreduction therapies may be considered safe in critically ill patients
Grzeszczak MJ 52 USA 2006	Case report 1	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	There was success in treatment with leukopheresis
Halasa NB 53 USA 2003	Case report 4	Severe pertussis: supportive treatment	Use of ECMO was controversial. All patients died.
Wang K 54 USA 2014	Systematic review 10	Symptomatic treatment of pertussis	No symptomatic treatment of cough was effective

PCR: polymerase chain reaction; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; ECMO: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.