Table 2. GRADE quality assessment of treatment comparisons for primary outcomes in adult bacterial meningitis.
| Treatment Comparison | Direct evidences | Network meta-analysis | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk ratio (95% CI) | Quality of evidences | Risk ratio (95% CI) | Quality of evidences | |
| All-cause mortality | ||||
| CS+ABT vs. Double | 0.45 (0.05 to 3.9) | ⨁⨁◯◯ LOW | 2.62 (0.30 to 22.77) | ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW |
| CS+ABT vs. Mono | 0.95 (0.55 to 1.62) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.65 (0.42 to 1.03) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE |
| Double vs. Mono | - | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.58 (0.01 to 49.59) | ⨁⨁◯◯ LOW |
| Neurological sequelae | ||||
| CS+ABT vs. Double | 1.93 (0.37 to 10.01) | ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW | 0.67 (0.14 to 3.17) | ⨁⨁◯◯ LOW |
| CS+ABT vs. Mono | 0.95 (0.55 to 1.62) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.75 (0.47 to 1.18) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE |
| Double vs. Mono | - | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.50 (0.10 to 2.47) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE |
| Any hearing loss | ||||
| CS+ABT vs. Double | 1.81 (0.48 to 6.83) | ⨁◯◯◯ VERY LOW | 0.72 (0.21 to 2.49) | ⨁⨁◯◯ LOW |
| CS+ABT vs. Mono | 0.80 (0.55 to 1.14) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.64 (0.55 to 1.62) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE |
| Double vs. Mono | - | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE | 0.72 (0.21 to 2.49) | ⨁⨁⨁◯ MODERATE |
Abbreviations: Mono, Mono antibiotic therapy; Double, Dual antibiotic therapy; CS, Corticosteroids; ABT, Antibiotic(s); CI, Confidence interval; RR, Risk ratio