SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2006
Heated, humidified air for the common cold.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2006. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heated, humidified air for the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Visiting a sauna: does inhaling hot dry air reduce common cold symptoms? A randomised controlled trial.The Medical journal of AustraliaTrial
- Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2016Article
- Steam inhalation therapy: severe scalds as an adverse side effect.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2012Article
- Reducing uncertainty in managing respiratory tract infections in primary care.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2010Article
Corrections and comments
- Updated by
- Update of
Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHeated, humidified air has long been used by common cold sufferers. The theoretical basis is that steam may help congested mucus drain better and heat may destroy cold virus as it does in vitro.
objectivesTo assess the effects of inhaling heated water vapour (steam), in the treatment of the common cold by comparing symptoms, viral shedding and nasal resistance. SEARCH STRATEGY: In this updated review we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library issue 4, 2005); MEDLINE (2003 to December Week 2 2005); EMBASE (July 2003 to September 2005); and Current Contents (current five years). SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using heated water vapor in patients with the common cold or volunteers with experimentally induced common cold. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All the articles retrieved were initially subjected to a review for inclusion or exclusion criteria. Review articles, editorials and abstracts with inadequate outcome descriptions were excluded. Studies selected for inclusion were subjected to a methodological assessment. MAIN
resultsSix trials were included. Three found benefits of steam for symptom relief with the common cold (odds ratio (OR) 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31; 0.16 to 0.60; relative risk (RR) 0.56; 95% CI 0.4 to 0.79). Results on symptom indices were equivocal. No studies demonstrated an exacerbation of clinical symptom scores. One USA study demonstrated worsened nasal resistance, while an earlier Israeli one showed improvement. One study examined viral shedding and antibody titres in nasal washings: there was no change of either between treatment and placebo groups. Minor side effects (including discomfort or irritation of the nose) were reported in some studies. AUTHORS'
conclusionsSteam inhalation are not recommended in the routine treatment of common cold symptoms until more double-blind RCT trials are conducted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.