Antibiotics in acute bronchitis: a meta-analysis

摘要: Abstract PURPOSE: Most patients with acute bronchitis who seek medical care are treated antibiotics, although the effectiveness of this intervention is uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis randomized, controlled trials to estimate antibiotics in treatment bronchitis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: English-language studies published January 1966 April 1998 were retrieved using MEDLINE, bibliographies, and consultation experts. Only randomized that enrolled otherwise healthy diagnosis bronchitis, used an antibiotic group placebo control group, provided sufficient data calculate effect size included. RESULTS: identified eight satisfied all inclusion criteria. These one three (erythromycin, doxycycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). The use decreased duration cough sputum production by approximately one-half day (summary 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05 0.36). For specific symptoms, there nonsignificant trends favoring antibiotics: decrease 0.4 days purulent (95% −0.1 0.8), 0.5 1.1), 0.3 lost from work −0.6 1.1). CONCLUSION: This suggests small benefit erythromycin, or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole patients. As must be weighed against risk side effects societal cost increasing resistance, we believe not justified these