A network meta-analysis of the efficacy of inhaled antibiotics for chronic Pseudomonas infections in cystic fibrosis

BackgroundVarious inhaled antibiotics are currently used for treating chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, however their relative efficacies are unclear. We compared the efficacy of the inhaled antibiotics tobramycin (TIP, TIS-T, TIS-B), colistimethate sodium (colistin) and aztreonam lysine for inhalation (AZLI) based on data from randomised controlled trials.MethodsIn the base case, efficacies of antibiotics were compared using a network meta-analysis of seven trials including change from baseline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) % predicted, P. aeruginosa sputum density and acute exacerbations.ResultsThe tobramycin preparations, AZLI and colistin, showed comparable improvements in efficacy in terms of FEV1% predicted at 4 weeks; the difference in % change from baseline (95%CrI) for TIP was compared to TIS-T (- 0.55, - 3.5;2.4), TIS-B (- 0.64, - 7.1;5.7), AZLI (3.64, - 1.0;8.3) and colistin (5.77, - 1.2;12.8).ConclusionWe conclude that all studied antibiotics have comparable efficacies for the treatment of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection in CF.