Amoxicillin for acute lower respiratory tract infection in primary care when pneumonia is not suspected: a 12-country, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Patients older than 18 years with acute cough of less than 28 days duration, in whom pneumonia was not suspected, were randomly assigned to treatment with either amoxicillin 1g TID for 7 days (n=1038), or placebo (n=1023). Antibiotic treatment did not lead to increased speed of resolution of symptoms, nor to lower symptom severity on days 2-4. Amoxicillin treatment was associated with fewer patients developing worsening of illness (NNT=30) but was also associated with an increased rate of nausea, rash or diarrhoea (NNH=21).