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Antibiotics for the common cold.

B Arroll1, T Kenealy

  • 1General Practice, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. b.arroll@auckland.ac.nz

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|May 5, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Antibiotics do not effectively treat the common cold, offering no significant benefits over placebo. Patients taking antibiotics experienced more adverse effects, highlighting the risks of unnecessary antibiotic use for viral infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical research
  • Infectious diseases
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The common cold is a viral illness, making antibiotics ineffective for treatment.
  • Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of antibiotic use for the common cold.
  • To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on antibiotic treatment for acute upper respiratory tract infections.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
  • Searched multiple databases including Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to December 1998.
  • Included seven trials with 2056 participants aged six months to 49 years.

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Main Results:

  • Antibiotic treatment showed no significant improvement in cure or symptom resolution compared to placebo.
  • A potential benefit for clear or purulent runny nose was noted in one study, but not consistently found.
  • Antibiotic use was associated with a significant increase in adverse side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Insufficient evidence supports the use of antibiotics for treating upper respiratory tract infections like the common cold.
  • The increased risk of adverse effects outweighs any potential benefits of antibiotics for viral infections.