Review: antibiotics for sore throat reduce symptoms at day 3 and the incidence of rheumatic fever and otitis media
QUESTION: In primary care settings, are antibiotics effective for adults and children with acute sore throats?
Studies were identified by searching Medline with the terms pharyngitis, sore throat, and tonsillitis; the Cochrane Library; the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group trials register; and bibliographies of included studies. Inclusion dates of the studies were 1945–99.
Controlled trials were selected if they compared antibiotics with placebo, if the patients had symptoms of acute sore throat and were in primary care settings, and if outcomes included incidence of acute rheumatic fever within 2 months, acute glomerulonephritis within 1 month, acute otitis media, acute sinusitis, quinsy (peritonsillar abscess), or symptoms of throat soreness, headache, or fever.
Data were extracted or sought from the authors of trials on study quality, publication date, patient characteristics, antibiotics including duration, outcomes, symptom resolution, and adverse effects.