Antibiotics for Sinusitis
NYT, By Nicholas Baralar
Antibiotics are commonly used to treat sinusitis, but a new clinical trial has found that a placebo works just as well.
Scientists randomized 166 adults, all of whom met the diagnostic criteria for sinusitis, to receive the antibiotic amoxicillin or a placebo three times a day for 10 days. On the third, seventh and tenth days, the participants recorded their symptoms.
There was no significant difference between the two groups in the amounts of time missed from work or everyday activities, relapse or recurrence rates, adverse effects or satisfaction with the treatment.