Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42158387›Full record

ArticleOpen forum infectious diseases2026

Beta-Lactam Plus Azithromycin or Doxycycline vs Fluoroquinolones in Adult Patients Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

Magdoleen H Farah, Mohamed Abusalih, Wigdan Farah, Mohamad El Labban, Qusay Haydour, Neha Ramachandran, Zhen Wang, Erin F Barreto, Larry Prokop, M Hassan Murad and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Open forum infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Magdoleen H FarahEvidence-Based Practice Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9700-737X
Mohamed AbusalihEvidence-Based Practice Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3326-301X
Wigdan FarahDivision of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2886-341X
Mohamad El LabbanDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4244-9204
Qusay HaydourDivision of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Occupational Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Neha RamachandranEvidence-Based Practice Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8357-0343
Zhen WangEvidence-Based Practice Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Erin F BarretoDepartment of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Larry ProkopMayo Clinic Libraries, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
M Hassan MuradEvidence-Based Practice Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Yewande OdeyemiDivision of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant public health concern associated with increased rates of hospital admissions and mortality. The purpose of the current study was to compare beta-lactam plus azithromycin or doxycycline vs fluoroquinolones in adults hospitalized with CAP. Methods: We searched several databases from inception to 10 June 2024. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data. Disagreements were resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Study quality was assessed in duplicate with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 for randomized studies and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for nonrandomized studies. Meta-analysis was conducted by a random effect model when feasible. Network meta-analysis was performed to compare direct and indirect evidence. The GRADE approach (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) was followed to rate the certainty of evidence. Results: Twenty studies were included (20 beta-lactam + azithromycin, 7 beta-lactam + doxycycline, 12 levofloxacin, and 4 moxifloxacin): 6 were randomized, enrolling 861 participants (mean age, 61.8 years; 43.2% women), and 14 were nonrandomized, enrolling 185 928 participants (mean age, 65.2 years; 42.9% women). Direct comparison and network meta-analysis results showed no statistically significant differences and likely equal effectiveness between beta-lactam + azithromycin and beta-lactam + doxycycline in terms of in-hospital mortality, need for intensive care unit admission or invasive mechanical ventilation, or safety outcomes including Conclusions: The current evidence demonstrated no likely difference in outcomes between azithromycin and doxycycline in adults hospitalized with CAP receiving beta-lactam. Head-to-head randomized clinical trials are needed to validate these results.

Indexed as

community-acquired pneumoniafluoroquinolonesnetwork meta-analysissystematic reviewβ-lactam antibiotics plus azithromycin or doxycycline

Identifiers

PMID42158387
PMCPMC13182717

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.