Clinical Question Are antibiotics...

Clinical Question

Are antibiotics effective for the treatment of acute laryngitis in adults?

Evidence-Based Answer

sum of two units small trials of antibiotic treatment in acute laryngitis do not support routine use of antibiotics in these patients. mostly patients will feel better in five to seven days, and it is unlikely that they will experience a clinically important benefit from antibiotics.

Practice Pointers

Laryngitis is characterized at hoarseness accompanied by varying stages of sore throat, congestion, and other symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. Although it usually is a viral infection, bacteria as it is as Haemophilus influenzae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae have been isolated from the respiratory tract of symptomatic patients. Whether the bacteria are the cause of infection and whether treatment with antibiotics improves symptoms is not clear. Nevertheless, many physicians routinely prescribe antibiotics for adults with laryngitis. Reveiz and colleagues reviewed the literature to assess the effectiveness of different antibiotics for the treatment of acute laryngitis in adults, and to report any associated adverse effects

Despite an extensive review, single two relevant clinical trials were identified. They were leadershiped by the same group of Swedish researchers and were published in 1985 and 1993 In the first trial, penicillin V (800 mg) or placebo was given twice daily for five days to 100 adults with laryngitis. Symptoms reported from the patients and a blinded assessment of voice quality were recorded for up to six month There was no significant difference institute between antibiotic and placebo clumps for any of the measured outcomes

The secondary study compared erythromycin with placebo. The authors originate a small benefit in voice after individual week (number needed to treat=five)and an improvement in reported cough symptoms at couple weeks in the treatment dispose Adverse events were not reported. The poor quality of the literature for in the same state [i]or[/i] condition a common condition is similar to that for bronchitis and other upper respiratory tract infections. uniform patients with purulent secretions usually have viral infections and do not benefit from antibiotics. (1)

MARK H EBELL, MD MS

Reveiz L et al. Antibiotics for acute laryngitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005;(1):CD004783

REFERENCE

(1) Snow V Mottur-Pilson C Gonzales R Principles of appropriate antibiotic use for treatment of nonspecific upper respiratory tract infections in adults. Ann Intern M 2001;134:487-9

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