title: Children with persistent cough--outcome with treatment and role of Moraxella catarrhalis?
abstract: 52 children with severe cough persisting for more than 10 days were randomized to treatment with amoxycillin/clavulanic acid or placebo in a prospective double-blinded study. Clinically suspected cases of pertussis were excluded, yet 12 (23%) of the children had laboratory verified pertussis infection. The nasopharyngeal colonization showed a predominance of Moraxella catarrhalis which was isolated in 37 (71%) children. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were isolated in 11 (20%) and 16 (30%) children, respectively. The antibiotic-treated group had a significantly better recovery in both the pediatrician's estimation (p = 0.02) and the independent parental judgement (p = 0.002). These findings are consistent with the view that Moraxella catarrhalis could be directly involved in the pathogenesis of persistent cough in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sachsska Barnsjukhuset, Dalen Clinic, Enskededalen, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gottfarb
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brauner
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002969:Clavulanic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002969:Clavulanic Acids; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D000658:Amoxicillin