| No antibiotic | Immediate antibiotics | Delayed antibiotics | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/N | % | n/N | % | n/N | % | |
| Clinical history | ||||||
| RTI consultations in the 12 months prior to baseline (≥2 consultations) | 1739/5106 | 34 | 839/2269 | 37 | 262/766 | 34 |
| Any chronic conditiona | 916/5235 | 18 | 492/2311 | 21 | 157/771 | 20 |
| Current asthma diagnosisb | 415/5236 | 8 | 247/2313 | 11 | 77/771 | 10 |
| Previous asthma diagnosis | 184/5235 | 4 | 124/2313 | 5 | 41/771 | 5 |
| Sociodemographics | ||||||
| Sex (male) | 2693/5236 | 51 | 1230/2313 | 53 | 365/771 | 47 |
| Age (<2 years) | 1875/5236 | 36 | 715/2313 | 31 | 212/771 | 28 |
| Children in the home (>1) | 3292/5213 | 63 | 1644/2303 | 71 | 526/765 | 69 |
| Breastfeeding (at 3 months) | 2132/4887 | 44 | 934/2117 | 44 | 350/718 | 49 |
| Ethnicity (white) | 4015/5212 | 77 | 1889/2298 | 82 | 585/766 | 76 |
| Mother smokes | 914/5178 | 18 | 447/2277 | 20 | 115/759 | 15 |
| Young mother | 1566/5222 | 30 | 652/2304 | 28 | 197/768 | 26 |
| IMD quintile (most deprived) | 1066/5236 | 20 | 436/2313 | 19 | 117/771 | 15 |
| Parent-reported symptoms present at any time during the illness | ||||||
| High severity score (parent: ≥7/10) | 993/5218 | 19 | 914/2305 | 40 | 209/771 | 27 |
| Short duration of illness (≤3 days) | 1598/5233 | 31 | 533/2312 | 23 | 234/771 | 30 |
| Illness worsened recently | 3114/5230 | 60 | 1835/2310 | 79 | 527/770 | 68 |
| Dry cough | 3326/5234 | 64 | 1205/2309 | 52 | 447/771 | 58 |
| Productive wet cough | 2556/5230 | 49 | 1455/2310 | 63 | 440/770 | 57 |
| Barking/croupy cough | 1357/5232 | 26 | 605/2307 | 26 | 161/771 | 21 |
| Blocked/runny nose | 4202/5234 | 80 | 1833/2311 | 79 | 620/770 | 81 |
| Change in cry | 850/5221 | 16 | 385/2302 | 17 | 131/766 | 17 |
| Breathing quicklyc | 1602/5235 | 31 | 1057/2311 | 46 | 279/771 | 36 |
| Wheezing/whistling in chest | 1885/5232 | 36 | 1058/2311 | 46 | 303/771 | 39 |
| Chills | 948/5233 | 18 | 679/2310 | 29 | 212/770 | 28 |
| Fever | 2865/5234 | 55 | 1733/2311 | 75 | 533/771 | 69 |
| Diarrhoea | 783/5233 | 15 | 340/2311 | 15 | 101/771 | 13 |
| Vomitingd | 1349/5234 | 26 | 765/2311 | 33 | 201/771 | 26 |
| Eating less than normal | 2855/5232 | 55 | 1627/2310 | 70 | 498/771 | 65 |
| Fewer fluids | 1529/5232 | 29 | 834/2309 | 36 | 253/771 | 33 |
| Low energy | 2512/5234 | 48 | 1475/2310 | 64 | 483/771 | 63 |
| Disturbed sleep | 3880/5234 | 74 | 1926/2311 | 83 | 592/770 | 77 |
| Less urine than normal | 652/5223 | 13 | 348/2307 | 15 | 131/770 | 17 |
| Parent-reported symptoms present in the last 24 hours (severe) | ||||||
| Dry cough | 337/5215 | 6 | 174/2306 | 8 | 40/768 | 5 |
| Productive wet cough | 329/5215 | 6 | 270/2304 | 12 | 68/770 | 9 |
| Blocked/runny nose | 406/5202 | 8 | 201/2304 | 9 | 52/765 | 7 |
| Fever | 228/5217 | 4 | 236/2302 | 10 | 70/768 | 9 |
| Eating less | 208/5213 | 4 | 175/2299 | 8 | 38/769 | 5 |
| Disturbed sleep | 784/5208 | 15 | 430/2305 | 19 | 116/765 | 15 |
| Parent-reported symptoms present in the last 24 hours (moderate or severe) | ||||||
| Barking cough | 957/5226 | 18 | 446/2303 | 19 | 111/771 | 14 |
| Change in cry | 480/5212 | 9 | 224/2301 | 10 | 73/765 | 10 |
| Chills/shivering | 382/5229 | 7 | 362/2305 | 16 | 84/769 | 11 |
| Breathing quicklyc | 836/5224 | 16 | 619/2308 | 27 | 146/771 | 19 |
| Wheeze | 878/5225 | 17 | 585/2305 | 25 | 128/771 | 17 |
| Diarrhoea | 216/5229 | 4 | 103/2309 | 5 | 22/771 | 3 |
| Vomitingd | 460/5227 | 9 | 290/2310 | 13 | 74/770 | 10 |
| Taking fewer fluids/milk feeds | 641/5224 | 12 | 388/2302 | 17 | 107/769 | 14 |
| Low energy/fatigue/lethargy | 1192/5213 | 23 | 824/2301 | 36 | 229/768 | 30 |
| Passing urine less often | 256/5213 | 5 | 158/2306 | 7 | 42/769 | 6 |
| Physical examination signs | ||||||
| Pallor | 284/5227 | 5 | 439/2311 | 19 | 84/771 | 11 |
| Nasal flaring | 39/5228 | 1 | 51/2311 | 2 | 6/771 | 1 |
| Grunting | 25/5227 | 0 | 40/2310 | 2 | 6/771 | 1 |
| Inter/subcostal recession | 131/5227 | 3 | 226/2310 | 10 | 21/771 | 3 |
| Wheeze | 498/5228 | 10 | 624/2308 | 27 | 87/771 | 11 |
| Crackles/crepitations | 128/5227 | 2 | 1300/2310 | 56 | 130/770 | 17 |
| Bronchial breathing | 43/5225 | 1 | 210/2307 | 9 | 21/769 | 3 |
| Inflamed pharynx | 1250/5212 | 24 | 828/2308 | 36 | 299/771 | 39 |
| Stridor | 25/5226 | 0 | 11/2310 | 0 | 5/771 | 1 |
| Abnormal consciousness | 42/5229 | 1 | 73/2308 | 3 | 7/768 | 1 |
| High respiratory rate | 619/5212 | 12 | 492/2300 | 21 | 107/763 | 14 |
| High temperature ≥37.8°Ce | 346/5223 | 7 | 567/2307 | 25 | 116/770 | 15 |
| High pulse | 170/5203 | 3 | 178/2297 | 8 | 33/766 | 4 |
| Capillary refill rate (≥3 seconds) | 41/5216 | 1 | 18/2304 | 1 | 6/763 | 1 |
| High severity score (clinician: (≥4/10) | 1038/5233 | 20 | 1502/2296 | 65 | 341/768 | 44 |
| Gut feeling something is wrong | 273/5230 | 5 | 1265/2307 | 55 | 110/766 | 14 |
| Adverse health outcomes in the 30 days post-baseline | ||||||
| Hospitalised | 40/5236 | 1 | 21/2313 | 1 | 4/771 | 1 |
| Reconsulted general practice for the same RTI illness with evidence of symptom deterioration | 240/5104 | 5 | 91/2266 | 4 | 19/766 | 2 |
a
Includes both current and previous asthma diagnosis.
b
Defined as present if asthma in medical notes problem list and asthma medication issued in the previous 12 months.
c
Faster than normal.
d
Including after a cough.
e
High temperature (age-related cut-offs). IMD = Index of Multiple Deprivation. RTI = respiratory tract infection.