A placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of erythromycin in adults with acute bronchitis.

Abstract

Sixty-three otherwise healthy adults with acute productive cough and no clinical evidence of pneumonia were randomized to receive a ten-day course of erythromycin or placebo. Fifty-seven of these patients returned completed symptom diaries or returned for a two-week follow-up visit. Patients treated with erythromycin reported a more rapid improvement in subjective ratings of cold symptoms, general health, sputum production, and a mean symptom score. Fewer patients in the erythromycin group required cough or cold medications or were congested by day 10 (P less than .05). The treatment group was also less likely to have purulent sputum (9 percent vs 36 percent, P less than .05) and abnormal lung examinations (0 percent vs 29 percent, P less than .01) at a two-week follow-up visit. These results support the use of erythromycin in acute bronchitis.

• Authors: J Dunlay, R Reinhardt, L D Roi
• Journal: The Journal of family practice (J Fam Pract) Vol. 25 Issue 2 Pg. 137-41 (Aug 1987) ISSN: 0094-3509 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3302093 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Antitussive Agents
• Erythromycin

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adult
• Antitussive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bronchitis (drug therapy)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Double-Blind Method
• Erythromycin (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Patient Compliance
• Random Allocation