Evidence map›Paper›PMID 20091541›Full record

SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2010

Symptomatic treatment of the cough in whooping cough.

Silvana Bettiol, Matthew J Thompson, Nia Wyn Roberts, Rafael Perera, Carl J Heneghan, Anthony Harnden

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Symptomatic treatment of the cough in whooping cough.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014
    Pooled it
  2. Antibiotics for whooping cough (pertussis).The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2007
    Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Antitussive drugs--past, present, and future.Pharmacological reviews · 2014
    Review
  5. Bead-based polymerase chain reaction on a microchip.Microfluidics and nanofluidics · 2012
    Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Silvana BettiolSchool of Medicine, Clinical School, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 29, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 7000.
Matthew J Thompson
Nia Wyn Roberts
Rafael Perera
Carl J Heneghan
Anthony Harnden
University of Oxford · GBUniversity of Tasmania · AU

Funding

Medical Research Council G0000340
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe worldwide incidence of whooping cough (pertussis) has been estimated at 48.5 million cases and nearly 295,000 deaths per year. In low-income countries, the case-fatality rate among infants may be as high as 4%. Much of the morbidity of whooping cough in children and adults is due to the effects of the paroxysmal cough. Cough treatments proposed include corticosteroids, beta 2-adrenergic agonists, pertussis-specific immunoglobulin, antihistamines and possibly leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs).

objectivesTo assess the effectiveness and safety of interventions to reduce the severity of paroxysmal cough in whooping cough in children and adults. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2009, issue 1), which contains the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE); MEDLINE (1950 to March 2009); EMBASE (1980 to March 2009); AMED (1985 to March 2009); CINAHL (1982 to March 2009) and LILACS (March 2009). SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of any intervention (excluding antibiotics and vaccines) to suppress the cough in whooping cough. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors (SB, MT) independently selected trials, extracted data and assessed the quality of each trial. The primary outcome was frequency of paroxysms of coughing. Secondary outcomes were frequency of vomiting, frequency of whoop, frequency of cyanosis (turning blue), development of serious complications, mortality from any cause, side effects due to medication, admission to hospital and duration of hospital stay. MAIN

resultsTen trials were included of varying sample sizes (N = 9 to 135) from high-income countries. Study quality was generally poor. Included studies did not show a statistically significant benefit for any of the interventions. Diphenhydramine did not change coughing episodes; the mean difference of coughing spells per 24 hours was 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) - 4.7 to 8.5). One study on pertussis immunoglobulin reported a possible mean reduction of -3.1 whoops per 24 hours (95% CI -6.2 to 0.02) but no change in hospital stay (-0.7 days) (95% CI -3.8 to 2.4). Dexamethasone did not show a clear decrease in length of hospital stay (-3.5 days) (95% CI -15.3 to 8.4) and salbutamol showed no change in coughing paroxysms per 24 hours (-0.22) (95% CI -4.13 to 3.69). AUTHORS'

conclusionsInsufficient evidence exists to draw conclusions about the effects of interventions for the cough in whooping cough.

Indexed as

AdultAlbuterolAnti-Inflammatory AgentsChildCoughDexamethasoneDiphenhydramineHistamine H1 AntagonistsHumansImmunoglobulinsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicWhooping CoughAlbuterolAnti-Inflammatory AgentsDexamethasoneDiphenhydramineHistamine H1 AntagonistsImmunoglobulins

Identifiers

PMID20091541
OpenAlexW4256208535

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.