BACKGROUND: OBJECTIVES: SEARCH METHODS: For this 2013 update we searched CENTRAL 2013, Issue 1, MEDLINE (March 2005 to February week 2, 2013), EMBASE (January 2010 to February 2013), CINAHL (2005 to February 2013), LILACS (2005 to February 2013) and Biosis Previews (2005 to February 2013). SELECTION CRITERIA: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Both review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. MAIN RESULTS: This updated review included 11 studies. Six studies contributed to one or more analyses related to the common cold, with up to 1047 participants. Five studies contributed to one or more analyses relating to purulent rhinitis, with up to 791 participants. One study contributed only to data on adverse events and one met the inclusion criteria but reported only summary statistics without providing any numerical data that could be included in the meta-analyses. Interpretation of the combined data is limited because some studies included only children, or only adults, or only males; a wide range of antibiotics were used and outcomes were measured in different ways. There was a moderate risk of bias because of unreported methods details or because an unknown number of participants were likely to have chest or sinus infections.Participants receiving antibiotics for the common cold did no better in terms of lack of cure or persistence of symptoms than those on placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59 to 1.51, (random-effects)), based on a pooled analysis of six trials with a total of 1047 participants. The RR of adverse effects in the antibiotic group was 1.8, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.21, (random-effects). 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) (random-effects) 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) (random-effects), 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). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence of benefit from antibiotics for the common cold or for persisting acute purulent rhinitis in children or adults. There is evidence that antibiotics cause significant adverse effects in adults when given for the common cold and in all ages when given for acute purulent rhinitis. Routine use of antibiotics for these conditions is not recommended.
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