A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 11 trials with more than 1 800 subjects.
People with common cold receiving antibiotics do no better in terms of lack of cure or persistence of symptoms than those on placebo (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.51), based on a pooled analysis of six trials with a total of 1 047 participants. The RR of adverse effects in the antibiotic group was 1.8, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.21. Adult participants had a significantly greater risk of adverse effects with antibiotics than with placebo (RR 2.62, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.18) while there was no greater risk in children (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.63).
The pooled RR for persisting acute purulent rhinitis with antibiotics compared to placebo was 0.73 (95% CI 0.47 to 1.13), based on four studies with 723 participants. There was an increase in adverse effects in the studies of antibiotics for acute purulent rhinitis (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.94).
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