Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with results analysed according to treatment using intention-to-treat analysis, were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Prophylactic, systemic antibiotics (flucloxacillin plus ampicillin, triplopen, cephalexin, cefazolin) given orally or by an intramuscular route.
Participants included in the review
Patients with uninfected sutured or unsutured wounds (5 out of 7 studies involved hand wounds only) presenting themselves at an emergency department, were included.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Infection (variously operationalised) was assessed.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
A reviewer blinded to the antibiotic used, the study location, or the study results, assessed the validity of the study.