TY - JOUR
T1 - Symptom resolution assessed using a patient directed diary card during treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis
AU - Woolhouse, Ian
AU - Hill, S
AU - Stockley, Robert
PY - 2001/12/1
Y1 - 2001/12/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are common and the presenting symptoms vary, although it is not clear how this should influence management. From a health care perspective, an understanding of the speed of symptom resolution is of importance to determine the success of treatment or when a change is indicated because of treatment failure. METHODS: The response of 63 patients treated at home for exacerbations of chronic bronchitis was assessed using a patient directed diary card incorporating sputum characteristics and symptoms. Treatment was given according to the nature of the sputum at presentation; patients with purulent sputum received an antibiotic for 5 or 10 days (randomised, double blind) whereas patients with mucoid sputum received high dose inhaled steroid or placebo for 14 days (randomised, double blind). RESULTS: The mean (SE) total diary card score at presentation was significantly higher in the purulent group than in the mucoid group (19.7 (0.9) v 16.3 (0.9); mean difference -3.4 (95% CI -6.1 to -0.7), p
AB - BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are common and the presenting symptoms vary, although it is not clear how this should influence management. From a health care perspective, an understanding of the speed of symptom resolution is of importance to determine the success of treatment or when a change is indicated because of treatment failure. METHODS: The response of 63 patients treated at home for exacerbations of chronic bronchitis was assessed using a patient directed diary card incorporating sputum characteristics and symptoms. Treatment was given according to the nature of the sputum at presentation; patients with purulent sputum received an antibiotic for 5 or 10 days (randomised, double blind) whereas patients with mucoid sputum received high dose inhaled steroid or placebo for 14 days (randomised, double blind). RESULTS: The mean (SE) total diary card score at presentation was significantly higher in the purulent group than in the mucoid group (19.7 (0.9) v 16.3 (0.9); mean difference -3.4 (95% CI -6.1 to -0.7), p
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035181225&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/thorax.56.12.947
DO - 10.1136/thorax.56.12.947
M3 - Article
C2 - 11713358
SN - 0040-6376
VL - 56
SP - 947
EP - 953
JO - Thorax
JF - Thorax
IS - 12
ER -