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. 2020 Aug 25;2020(8):CD013113. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013113.pub2

Summary of findings 1. PPI plus usual care versus usual care alone or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Usual care plus PPI compared to Usual care plus alone for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Patient or population: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Setting: hospital outpatients in Japan (three secondary care hospitals and one tertiary care hospital)
Intervention: Usual care plus PPI
Comparison: Usual care plus alone
Outcomes Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) Relative effect
(95% CI) № of participants
(studies) Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE) Comments
Risk with Usual care plus alone Risk with Usual care plus PPI
Exacerbation rate (participants with one or more)
study duration: 12 months
Study population RR 0.46
(0.26 to 0.81) 100
(1 RCT) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
LOW ab The frequency of exacerbations improved with intervention.
520 per 1,000 239 per 1,000
(135 to 421)
Pneumonia and other serious adverse events Not reported
Quality of life Not reported
Lung function indices Not reported
Acute respiratory infections
study duration: 12 months
Study population RR 0.96
(0.67 to 1.39) 100
(1 RCT) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
VERY LOW abc No clear benefit or harm from PPI
540 per 1,000 518 per 1,000
(362 to 751)
Disease‐specific adverse events Not reported
*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; PPI: proton pump inhibitor; RR: Risk ratio
GRADE Working Group grades of evidenceHigh certainty: We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect
Moderate certainty: We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different
Low certainty: Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect
Very low certainty: We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect

aDowngraded by one level for imprecision: single small trial describes this result

bDowngraded by one level for study limitations: no blinding of participants and personnel

cDowngraded by one level for study limitations: the rate and number of common colds using outcomes that tend to be subjective