Children with lower respiratory tract infections have similar severity and duration of symptoms whether they receive antibiotics or not, according to a new UK general practice study.

The researchers randomised 432 children aged six months to 12 years who presented in primary care with acute uncomplicated lower respiratory infections (LRTI) to receive amoxicillin 50 mg/kg per day or an oral suspension placebo for seven days.

The median duration of moderately bad or worse symptoms was similar with antibiotics and placebo (5 days vs 6 days), the researchers reported in The Lancet.

At the end of the seven days, there were also no significant differences in the proportions of children with abnormal chest signs (35% on antibiotics vs 34% on placebo), fever (80% vs 70%), sputum or chest rattle (78% vs 74%), or shortness of breath (47% vs 45%).