| Prednisolone(N = 21) | Placebo(N = 16) | Prednisolone versus placebo | |
| Mean AUC(SD) | Difference in mean AUC(95%CI);Pvalue | ||
| Cough | 36.29 (25.89) | 34.38 (24.71) | |
| Unadjusted | 1.91 (–15.20 to 19.01); P = 0.82 | ||
| Adjusted for baselinea | 2.27 (–15.22 to 19.75); P = 0.79 | ||
| Phlegm | 20.60 (19.97) | 30.69 (25.42) | |
| Unadjusted | –10.09 (–25.23 to 5.04); P = 0.19 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –10.35 (–26.18 to 5.48); P = 0.19 | ||
| Shortness of breath | 12.45 (16.13) | 17.56 (19.79) | |
| Unadjusted | –5.11 (–17.10 to 6.88); P = 0.39 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –3.64 (–15.56 to 8.29); P = 0.54 | ||
| Wheeze | 15.12 (16.4) | 16.13 (18.93) | |
| Unadjusted | –1.01 (–12.82 to 10.80); P = 0.86 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –2.10 (–13.75 to 9.54); P = 0.72 | ||
| Blockedorrunny nose | 15.67 (20.78) | 20.15 (25.66) | |
| Unadjusted | –4.49 (–19.99 to 11.00); P = 0.56 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –4.24 (–19.83 to 11.34); P = 0.58 | ||
| Chest pain | 10.33 (14.50) | 5.91 (8.52) | |
| Unadjusted | 4.43 (–3.85 to 12.71); P = 0.29 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 5.07 (–2.74 to 12.88); P = 0.17 | ||
| Fever | 3.48 (6.36) | 5.53 (14.08) | |
| Unadjusted | –2.06 (–9.06 to 4.95); P = 0.56 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –2.91 (–9.25 to 3.43); P = 0.36 | ||
| Muscle ache | 13.74 (24.87) | 8.31 (14.46) | |
| Unadjusted | 5.43 (–8.75 to 19.60); P = 0.44 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 5.84 (–8.45 to 20.13); P = 0.41 | ||
| Headache | 11.64 (24.67) | 6.88 (15.84) | |
| Unadjusted | 4.77 (–9.61 to 19.14); P = 0.51 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 4.91 (–9.54 to 19.36); P = 0.50 | ||
| Sleep disturbance | 20.29 (24.84) | 17.94 (24.07) | |
| Unadjusted | 2.35 (–14.17 to 18.86); P = 0.78 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 3.23 (–13.67 to 20.12); P = 0.70 | ||
| Feeling unwell | 19.86 (27.79) | 17.19 (22.54) | |
| Unadjusted | 2.67 (–14.62 to 19.96); P = 0.76 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 1.29 (–15.35 to 17.93); P = 0.88 | ||
| Activity disturbance | 10.14 (13.16) | 10.59 (20.64) | |
| Unadjusted | –0.45 (–11.75 to 10.85); P = 0.94 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | –0.15 (–11.56 to 11.27); P = 0.98 | ||
| Median duration (IQR) | HR(95%CI);Pvalue | ||
| Duration of moderate-badorworse cough (censored at56days)c | 3 (2–6) | 3 (1–6) | |
| Unadjusted | 1.01 (0.50 to 2.05); P = 0.99 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 1.01 (0.49 to 2.04); P = 0.99 | ||
| Duration of any cough (censored at56days)c | 18 (14–31) | 13 (6–26) | |
| Unadjusted | 0.68 (0.32 to 1.46); P = 0.32 | ||
| Adjusted for baselineb | 0.69 (0.32 to 1.48); P = 0.35 | ||
| Duration of abnormal peak flowc | 24 (4–n/a)d | 6 (4–n/a)d | |
| Unadjusted | 0.45 (0.17 to 1.24); P = 0.12 | ||
| Adjusted for baselinea | 0.51 (0.18 to 1.42); P = 0.21 | ||
| Adjusted for baselinee | 0.79 (0.22 to 2.79); P = 0.71 | ||
| n (%) | OR(95%CI);Pvalue | ||
| Consumption of antibiotics up to7days | 1 (4.8) | 1 (6.3) | |
| Unadjusted | 0.75 (0.04 to 12.99); P = 0.84 | ||
| Adjusted for delayed script | 0.74 (0.04 to 13.48); P = 0.84 | ||
| Consumption of antibiotics up to28daysf | 2 (16.7) | 3 (33.3) | |
| Unadjusted | 0.46 (0.07 to 3.12); P = 0.42 | ||
| Adjusted for delayed script | 0.38 (0.04 to 3.27); P = 0.38 | ||
| Participant agrees trial tablets helped them feel betterf | 6 (33.3) | 6 (40.0) | |
| Unadjusted | 0.75 (0.18 to 3.11); P= 0.69 | ||
| Participant agrees they would take trial tablets in futuref | 9 (50.0) | 9 (60.0) | |
| Unadjusted | 0.67 (0.17 to 2.67); P = 0.57 | ||
| Adverse eventsg | |||
| 01>1 | 16 (72.7)6 (27.3)0 (0.0) | 14 (77.8)4 (22.2)0 (0.0) | |
| Unadjusted | 1.31 (0.31 to 5.62); P = 0.72g | ||
| Adjusted for baselineh | 1.17 (0.25 to 5.38); P = 0.84g | ||
aAdjusted for prior duration of cough in days. bAdjusted for presence of symptom at baseline (including previous 24 hours). cAnalysis of duration of moderately bad or worse cough (56 days) includes 17 in the prednisolone and 14 in the placebo group (participants without moderately bad or worse cough on day 1 excluded); analysis of duration of any cough (56 days) includes 21 in the prednisolone group and 16 in the placebo group; and analysis of duration of abnormal peak flow includes 11 in the prednisolone group and 13 in the placebo group (participants with normal peak flow on day 1 excluded). dA large proportion of participants still had abnormal peak flow at 28 days – a 75th percentile could therefore not be calculated. eAdjusted for baseline cough duration and baseline abnormal peak flow. fAntibiotic analysis includes 12 in the prednisolone and 9 in the placebo group up to 28 days; patient satisfaction analysis includes 18 in the prednisolone group ad 15 in the placebo group. gOrdinal logistic regression; adverse event data available for 22 in the prednisolone group and 18 in the placebo group. hAdjusted for impression of illness severity. AUC = area under the curve. n/a = not available. SD = standard deviation.