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QUESTION: In children 0–4 years of age presenting with the symptom of acute cough or an undifferentiated acute respiratory tract infection with cough (UARTIC) in primary care, what is the natural history of illness duration and complications?
Data sources
Studies were identified by searching Medline (1966 to September 1998), EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (1988 to September 1998), the Cochrane Library databases, Bandolier, and the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin using the content terms respiratory tract infection (RTI), cough, bronchitis, and chest infection; and by reviewing references of relevant articles.
Study selection
Studies published in English were selected if they were cohort studies, control or placebo arms of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), or systematic reviews of RCTs, and if patients were preschool children 0–4 years of age presenting with acute cough in primary care. For study selection, the review used the symptom of cough or UARTIC defined as a cough that failed to differentiate into a recognised clinical picture with known associated bacterial or viral aetiology, such as croup, …
Footnotes
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For correspondence: Dr A D Hay, Division of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. alastair.hay{at}bristol.ac.uk
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Source of funding: no external funding.