Duration of Amoxycillin-Clavulanic Acid Study (DACs)
Cough is the most common presenting symptom to primary health care. Amongst children referred to a specialist respiratory clinic because of a chronic cough, more than 80% had sought medical advice on five or more occasions during the preceding year. The most common cause of chronic wet cough is protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB). Clinically protracted bacterial bronchitis is now defined as a chronic (>4 weeks) wet cough without specific signs or symptoms or alternative cause which responds to 2 weeks of appropriate antibiotic therapy. The response to antibiotics is a key part of the clinical definition of PBB, yet the optimal duration, although typically 2-4 weeks, of antibiotic is not yet known.
Aim: To determine whether a longer (4 weeks) course of amoxycillin clavulanic acid treatment of children with chronic wet cough has better clinical outcomes than a shorter course (2 weeks). The clinical outcomes measured will be resolution of cough, QoL at 4 weeks and episodes of recurrence of wet cough at 6 months.
Funding / Grants
- Children’s Hospital Foundation (2017 - 2020)
Chief Investigators
- Professor Anne Chang
- Professor John Upham
- Dr Helen Buntain
- Associate Professor Julie Marchant
- Dr Margaret McElrea
- Associate Professor Brent Masters
- Dr Andre Schultz
- Dr Helen Petsky
