Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Nine double-blind, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Antibiotic treatments including doxycycline, trimethoprim, trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, erythromycin ethylsuccinate. Treatments were given in tablet, liquid or inhaler form. In some studies, the control group received the bronchodilator albuterol.
Participants included in the review
Adult patients with acute bronchitis, some of whom were smokers. No summary of characteristic of included patients is given. All studies excluded patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Outcomes assessed in the review
A variety of outcomes were assessed in the included studies. These included patients subjective assessments of illness via daily symptom diaries (e.g. 'felt poor'), duration of cough and night cough, days of fever, temperature and sputum production.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the selection.