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Evidence summaries

Diazepam for Treating Tetanus

Diazepam alone may be more effective in treating tetanus than combination of phenobarbitone and chlorpromazine. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included two studies with a total of 134 subjects. Meta-analysis of in-hospital deaths indicates that children treated with diazepam alone had a better chance of survival than those treated with combination of phenobarbitone and chlorpromazine (RR for death 0.36; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.86; Risk Difference -0.22; 95% CI -0.38 to -0.06). Giving diazepam alone, or supplementing conventional anticonvulsants (phenobarbitone and chlorpromazine) with diazepam, was reported in one study to be associated with a statistically significantly milder clinical course and shorter duration of hospitalization.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (inadequate or unclear allocation concealment) and by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals).

    References

    • Okoromah CN, Lesi FE. Diazepam for treating tetanus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(1):CD003954. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords