ACP Journal Club. Amoxicillin/clavulanate vs placebo: more exacerbation cures, fewer recurrences in mild-to-moderate COPD.

Patients: 318 outpatients ≥ 40 years of age (mean age 68 y, 81% men) who had an exacerbation (≥ 1 of increased dyspnea, increased sputum volume, or sputum purulence) of mild-to-moderate COPD (≥ 10 pack-y smoking history, postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 70%, and postbronchodilator FEV1 > 50% of predicted value). Exclusion criteria included need for hospitalization; antibiotic use in the past 2 weeks; hypersensitivity to β-lactams, clavulanate, or lactose; immunosuppression; bronchial asthma; cystic fibrosis; active neoplasm; bronchiectasis due to conditions other than COPD; or tracheotomy.