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Many studies have indicated that antibiotics are wildly overprescribed for sinusitis (JW Gen Med Jan 31 2012). However, randomized trials on the utility of these medications have had conflicting results, with statistical interpretation complicated by different enrollment criteria and high rates of spontaneous improvement.
In a double-blinded study, researchers randomized 166 adults reporting 1 to 4 weeks of standard sinusitis symptoms (including maxillary pain or tenderness in the face or teeth, and purulent nasal secretions) to receive 10 days of amoxicillin or placebo, along with a range of as-needed symptom-relief medications (acetaminophen, guaifenesin, dextromethorphan, pseudoephedrine, and nasal saline spray). Imaging studies were not …