SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2013
Heated, humidified air for the common cold.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 5 of them syntheses 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
18 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heated, humidified air for the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Community acquired respiratory virus infections in cancer patients-Guideline on diagnosis and management by the Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society for haematology and Medical Oncology.European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) · 2016Guideline
- Nasal decongestants in monotherapy for the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Garlic for the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014Pooled it
- Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014Pooled it
- The impact of cineole treatment timing on common cold duration and symptoms: Non-randomized exploratory clinical trial.PloS one · 2024Trial
- Randomised controlled trial of rhinothermy for treatment of the common cold: a feasibility study.BMJ open · 2018Trial
- Effectiveness of steam inhalation and nasal irrigation for chronic or recurrent sinus symptoms in primary care: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2016Trial
- Tolerability of Nasal Delivery of Humidified and Warmed Air at Different Temperatures: A Randomised Double-Blind Pilot Study.Pulmonary medicine · 2016Trial
- Trial
- In vitro safety and performance evaluation of a seawater solution enriched with copper, hyaluronic acid, and eucalyptus for nasal lavage.Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2019Article
- 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
- Closing evidence to practice gaps: an end to an attack of the vapours?The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2016Article
- Self-Care for Common Colds by Primary Care Patients: A European Multicenter Survey on the Prevalence and Patterns of Practices-The COCO Study.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2016Article
- Evidence and evidence gaps in therapies of nasal obstruction and rhinosinusitis.GMS current topics in otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery · 2016Review
- Antibiotic Resistance: What are the Opportunities for Primary Care in Alleviating the Crisis?Frontiers in public health · 2015Review
- The diagnosis and treatment of acute cough in adults.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2014Article
- The common cold: potential for future prevention or cure.Current allergy and asthma reports · 2014Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHeated, humidified air has long been used by sufferers of the common cold. The theoretical basis is that steam may help congested mucus drain better and heat may destroy the 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
methodsIn this updated review we searched CENTRAL 2013, Issue 2, MEDLINE (1966 to February week 4, 2013), EMBASE (1990 to March 2013) and Current Contents (1994 to March 2013). SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using heated water vapour in participants with the common cold or participants with experimentally induced common cold. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The two review authors independently reviewed all retrieved articles and excluded any articles, editorials and abstracts with inadequate outcome descriptions. The studies we included were subjected to a methodological assessment. MAIN
resultsWe included six trials (394 trial participants). Three trials in which patient data could be pooled found benefits of steam for symptom relief for the common cold (odds ratio (OR) 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 0.60). However, results on symptom indices were equivocal. No studies demonstrated an exacerbation of clinical symptom scores. One study conducted in the USA demonstrated worsened nasal resistance, while an earlier Israeli study showed improvement. One study examined viral shedding and antibody titres in nasal washings; there was no change in either between treatment and placebo groups. Minor side effects (including discomfort or irritation of the nose) were reported in some studies. AUTHORS'
conclusionsSteam inhalation has not shown any consistent benefits in the treatment of the common cold, hence is not recommended in the routine treatment of common cold symptoms until more double-blind, randomised trials with a standardised treatment modality 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.