Summary of findings 3. Topical ointment or cream versus oil for preterm infants.
| Topical ointment or cream versus oil for preventing infection in preterm infants | ||||||
|
Patient or population: preterm (< 37 weeks) and low birth weight (< 2500 g) infants
Settings: high‐income countries, and low‐ and middle‐income countries
Intervention: topical ointment or cream Comparison: topical oil | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No of participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| Routine skin care | Topical oil | |||||
| Invasive infection until hospital discharge | 189 per 1000 | 172 per 1000 (108 to 275) | RR 0.91 (0.57 to 1.46) | 316 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ lowa,b | |
| Mortality until hospital discharge (or latest reported) | 660 per 1000 | 542 per 1000 (449 to 647) | RR 0.82 (0.68 to 0.98) | 316 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ lowa,c | |
| *The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio. | ||||||
¶ Sunflower, sunflower seed, other vegetable oils. aDowngraded one level due to serious risk of bias (unclear random sequence generation or allocation concealment; caregivers and investigators not masked in any trials). bDowngraded one level due to imprecision. 95% CI (0.57 to 1.46) consistent with potentially important benefit or harm. cDowngraded one level due to imprecision. 95% CI (0.68 to 0.98) consistent with potentially important benefit or minimal effect.