Comparison 1. Comparison 1: Rapid test (with and without scoring system combined) versus clinical grounds (with and without scoring system combined).

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1.1 Number of participants provided with an antibiotic prescription	5	2545	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.25 [‐0.31, ‐0.18]
1.2 Number of participants with an antibiotic dispensed	2	900	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.07 [‐0.17, 0.02]
1.3 Number of participants with a complication attributed to the index infection	4	2075	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.85 [0.03, 26.65]
1.4 Number of participants in need of re‐consultation by the end of follow‐up	2	1161	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.12 [0.57, 2.21]