You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Treatment
Review: evidence does not support the effectiveness of over the counter preparations for acute cough

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.5.3.78

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    Schroeder K, Fahey T.Over-the-counter medications for acute cough in children and adults in ambulatory settings.Cochrane Database Syst Rev2001;(4)CD001831 (latest version 25 May 2001).

    QUESTION: In children and adults with acute cough, are over the counter (OTC) cough preparations effective for relieving symptoms?

    Data sources

    Studies were identified by searching 5 databases; scanning reference lists and personal files of references; and contacting authors and manufacturers.

    Study selection

    Studies were selected if they were randomised, placebo controlled studies (RCTs) of OTC preparations for acute cough in children and adults in outpatient settings. RCTs of chronic cough (>3 wks duration), cough resulting from underlying respiratory disease, or cough induced artificially by inhalation of chemicals were excluded, as were studies of non-oral, herbal, or homeopathic preparations.

    Data extraction

    Data were extracted on participant characteristics, smoking status, study setting, randomisation, blinding, loss to follow up, definition of illness, drug dosage, frequency and duration of treatment, and outcomes (cough outcome such as severity, frequency, amount of sputum, and symptoms; and adverse effects).

    Main results

    21 RCTs (n=2604) met the selection criteria. …

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: South and West Research and Development Directorate, UK and NHS Primary Care Career Scientist Fund, UK.

    • For correspondence: Dr K Schroeder, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. k.schroeder{at}bristol.ac.uk