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Previous Volume 341:293-294 July 22, 1999 Number 4 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: In stating that selective decontamination of the digestive tract has no effect on mortality, Dr. Kollef (Feb. 25 issue)¹ ignores two recent meta-analyses,^2,3 both of which showed a significant reduction in mortality. The magnitude of the survival benefit from this method is impressive. Mortality is reduced by 20 percent in a mixed population of medical and surgical patients and by 30 percent in surgical patients who are critically ill. The number needed to treat to prevent one death is 23 patients.² One meta-analysis² summarized 33 randomized trials, which involved 5725 patients and were conducted over a period . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• van Nieuwenhoven, C. A., Buskens, E., van Tiel, F. H., Bonten, M. J. M. (2001). Relationship Between Methodological Trial Quality and the Effects of Selective Digestive Decontamination on Pneumonia and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients. JAMA 286: 335-340 [Abstract] [Full Text]