Dilemma: cough, smoker, discoloured sputum, diagnosis: Bronchitis, now: Abx or no Abx
Efficacy of anti-inflammatory or antibiotic treatment in patients with non-complicated acute bronchitis and discoloured sputum: randomised placebo controlled trial
Study Group: 416 participants were randomized into 3 different groups (136 to ibuprofen, 137 to antibiotic, and 143 to placebo). Their presentation symptoms were associated with respiratory tract infection of 1) less than one week’s duration, 2) with cough as the predominant symptom and 3) discoloured sputum and 4) at least one other criterion of lower respiratory tract infection such as dyspnoea, wheezing, chest discomfort, or chest pain.
The mean duration of cough was 14.6 (SD 6) days.
1. The most common symptoms associate with lower respiratory tract infections is COUGH.
2. An oral anti-inflammatory(Ibuprofen) treatment or an antibiotic( Amoxi-Clav) are not more effective than placebo for shortening the duration of cough in patients with otherwise non-complicated acute bronchitis with discoloured sputum.