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The use of antibiotics for treating acute bronchitis has been questioned because evidence for clinical benefit is lacking, most pathogens are viruses, and antibiotic resistance is of concern. A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate whether the broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotic azithromycin leads to greater improvements in health-related quality of life than does low-dose vitamin C.
Two hundred twenty patients with cough (duration, 2 to 14 days) and without evidence of underlying lung disease received either azithromycin or vitamin C for 5 days; all participants were given dextromethorphan syrup and albuterol inhalers. Patients with symptoms suggestive of pneumonia (oral temperatures higher than 102°F …