Arroll 2002a.
| Study characteristics | ||
| Methods | Randomised controlled trial over 3 months | |
| Participants | 129 adults and children with the common cold presenting to primary care services in Auckland, New Zealand 62 participants were randomised to immediate antibiotic prescription, and 67 to delayed (prescription at time of visit) antibiotic prescription Age: the average age was 27.9 years (SD 3.1) in the immediate antibiotic group and 23.6 years (SD 2.7) in the delayed antibiotic group Sex:immediate antibiotic group: 22 males, 40 females; delayed (prescription at time of visit) antibiotic group: 26 males, 41 females Exclusion criteria included suspected streptococcal tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, lower respiratory signs, need for X‐ray, history of rheumatic fever, serious illness or any antibiotic treatment in the previous 2 weeks |
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| Interventions | Delayed antibiotics (participants given script and instructed to fill within 72 hours) versus immediate antibiotics | |
| Outcomes |
Primary outcomes: participant diaries were used to measure fever, duration of fever, cough, duration of cough, pain, antibiotic use and patient satisfaction Secondary outcomes: absence from school/work, diarrhoea, adverse effects of antibiotics, antibiotic use and patient satisfaction |
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| Notes | Funding source: Health Research Council of New Zealand | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Computer randomisation |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Opaque envelopes |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Patient and care provider were blinded, but unsure regarding outcome assessor |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | ITT analysis was used and dropouts were reported. 62 out of 67 participants in the delayed antibiotic arm and 61 out of 62 participants in the immediate antibiotic arm completed the trial. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | Prespecified outcomes were reported |
| Other bias | Low risk | Funded by government grant |