The purpose of this report is to retrieve and review the existing clinical effectiveness evidence on the treatment of patients with impetigo with the topical antibiotics: polymyxin B sulfate-bacitracin (Polysporin ointment), polymyxin B sulfate-gramicidin (Polysporin cream), polymyxin B sulfate-bacitracin-gramicidin (Polysporin triple ointment), bacitracin (Bacitin ointment), mupirocin (Bactroban cream/ointment), silver sufadiazine (Flamazine cream), fusidic acid/fusidate sodium (Fucidin cream/ointment), and fusidic acid 2% with hydrocortisone (Fucidin H), compared to each other, placebo or oral antibiotics. Additionally, this report aims to retrieve and review evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of impetigo using topical antibiotics.

Contents

• Context and Policy Issues
• Research Questions
• Key Findings
• Methods
  • Literature Search Methods
  • Selection Criteria and Methods
  • Exclusion Criteria
  • Critical Appraisal of Individual Studies
• Summary of Evidence
  • Quantity of Research Available
  • Summary of Study Characteristics
  • Summary of Critical Appraisal
  • Summary of Findings
  • Limitations
• Conclusions and Implications for Decision or Policy Making
• References
• Appendix 1. Selection of Included Studies
• Appendix 2. Characteristics of Included Publications
• Appendix 3. Critical Appraisal of Included Publications
• Appendix 4. Main Study Findings and Author’s Conclusions

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