We updated the search of the Cochrane
Neuromuscular Disease Group Trials Register (December 2008), MEDLINE (from January 1966 to December 8 2008), EMBASE (from January 1980 to December 8 2008) and LILACS (from January 1982 to December 2008).
SELECTION CRITERIA: Twenty-three papers were selected for consideration.
MAIN RESULTS: Seven trials including 1987 participants met the inclusion criteria, adding five studies to the two in the previous review.Incomplete recovery at one year. There was no significant benefit in the rate of incomplete recovery from
antivirals compared with placebo (n = 1886, RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.18). In meta-analyses with some unexplained heterogeneity, the outcome with
antivirals was significantly worse than with
corticosteroids (n = 768, RR 2.82, 95% CI 1.09 to 7.32) and the outcome with
antivirals plus
corticosteroids was significantly better than with placebo (n = 658, RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.76).Motor
synkinesis or crocodile tears at one year. In single trials, there was no significant difference in long term sequelae comparing
antivirals and
corticosteroids with
corticosteroids alone (n = 99, RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.14 to 1.07) or
antivirals with
corticosteroids (n = 101, RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.07).Adverse events.There was no significant difference in rates of adverse events between
antivirals and placebo (n = 1544, RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.38), between
antivirals and
corticosteroids (n = 667, RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.41) or between the
antiviral-
corticosteroid combination and placebo (n = 658, RR 1.15, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.66).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: