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Review: antibiotics reduce the rate of clinical failure in children with persistent nasal discharge

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 QUESTION: In children with persistent nasal discharge (rhinosinusitis) for ≥10 days, are antibiotics more effective than placebo or standard treatment for reducing the rate of overall clinical failure?

Data sources

Studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Medline (1999–2002), and EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (1997–2002). Bibliographies of relevant articles were reviewed and experts in the field and major pharmaceutical companies (with offices in Australia) were contacted for unpublished studies.

Study selection

Studies were selected if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antibiotics (effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae and non-capsular Haemophilus influenzae) with placebo or standard treatment (decongestants or nasal saline drops) (control group), and patients were children <18 years of age with nasal discharge that had persisted for ≥10 days

Data extraction

Data were extracted on study setting, sample size, details of the …

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Footnotes

  • Sources of funding: National Health and Medical Research Council and Acute Respiratory Infection Cochrane Review Group.

  • For correspondence: Dr P Morris, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. peterm{at}menzies.edu.au