Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Studies using random allocation of patients to treatments were eligible for inclusion. All of the included studies were designed as equivalence trials.
Specific interventions included in the review
Trials comparing moxifloxacin with another antibiotic were eligible for inclusion. The comparator drugs in the included studies were clarithromycin, azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, levofloxacin, ceftriaxone and cefuroxime. Moxifloxacin was given at a dose of 400 mg/day over 5 days.
Participants included in the review
Studies of patients with exacerbations of chronic bronchitis were eligible for inclusion. In all included studies a consistent and internationally accepted definition of chronic bronchitis was employed (presence of productive cough for at least 3 months in 2 consecutive years). However, various definitions of exacerbations were used and inclusion criteria differed with regard to the severity of the exacerbation. The mean age of patients in the included studies ranged from 52 to 69 years.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Studies that assessed results in terms of clinical cure or improvement were eligible for inclusion. In the included studies, clinical success and bacteriological success were generally measured between 7 and 10 days after completion of treatment and in some trials between 10 and 14 days after start of treatment.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.