Antibiotics seem to have little effect on duration of cough

The question: When plagued by a persistent cough, people often beg their doctor for relief. But would taking an antibiotic make a difference in their symptoms?

This study randomly assigned 807 children and adults with lower respiratory tract infections characterized by coughing to one of three treatment groups. One group was given an immediate prescription for an antibiotic (amoxicillin or erythromycin); the second group was given a prescription but asked to wait two weeks before taking the drug; the third was given basic medical advice but not offered an antibiotic. Three weeks later, the groups reported little difference in the length or severity of their symptoms: Coughs persisted about 12 days, and participants had felt sick, had trouble sleeping and had engaged in less activity for about the same amount of time.

Who may be affected by these findings? Anyone with a lower respiratory tract infection, one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor.

Caveats: Findings were based on data recorded by the participants or their parents in symptom diaries. One author had received consultancy fees from a pharmaceutical company for work on respiratory tract infections; another worked for a drug company.

Find this study in the June 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association; abstract available online at www.jama.com.

Learn more about antibiotics at www.cdc.gov/drugresistance and www.familydoctor.org.

The research described here comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment’s effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.