SynthesisBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2016
Zinc acetate lozenges for treating the common cold: an individual patient data meta-analysis.
Synthesis in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04103099 (Evaluation of the Impact of the HLNatural, Inc. Immune Support Product in Reducing the Length of Cold Symptoms in Adults Suffering From the Common Cold), which is not on this map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
Evaluation of the Impact of the HLNatural, Inc. Immune Support Product in Reducing the Length of Cold Symptoms in Adults Suffering From the Common Cold
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Zinc for prevention and treatment of the common cold.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Zinc acetate lozenges for treating the common cold: an individual patient data meta-analysis.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2016Pooled it
- Zinc acetate lozenges for the treatment of the common cold: a randomised controlled trial.BMJ open · 2020Trial
- Article
- Shortcomings in the Cochrane review on zinc for the common cold (2024).Frontiers in medicine · 2024Article
- Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of EZC Pak, a 5-Day Combination Echinacea-Zinc-Vitamin C Dose Pack with or without Vitamin D, in the Management of Outpatient Upper Respiratory Infections.Infection and drug resistance · 2023Article
- Clinical nutrition approach in medical management of COVID-19 hospitalized patients: A narrative review.Nutrition and health · 2022Review
- The direct and indirect effects of bioactive compounds against coronavirus.Food frontiers · 2022Review
- Efficacy and Safety of Ganduqing Granules in Treating the Common Cold: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2022Article
- Quantile Treatment Effect of Zinc Lozenges on Common Cold Duration: A Novel Approach to Analyze the Effect of Treatment on Illness Duration.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2022Review
- Pharmaconutrition in the Clinical Management of COVID-19: A Lack of Evidence-Based Research But Clues to Personalized Prescription.Journal of personalized medicine · 2020Review
- Myth Busters: Dietary Supplements and COVID-19.The Annals of pharmacotherapy · 2020Article
- Promotion of unproved and potential dangerous measures in fighting COVID-19 pandemic: urgent need for vigilant appropriate public communication and generation of scientific evidence.The Pan African medical journal · 2020Article
- Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C: Perspectives for COVID-19 With a Focus on Physical Tissue Barrier Integrity.Frontiers in nutrition · 2020Review
- Nutrition and Athlete Immune Health: New Perspectives on an Old Paradigm.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2019Review
- Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage.JRSM open · 2017Article
- Zinc Acetate Lozenges May Improve the Recovery Rate of Common Cold Patients: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.Open forum infectious diseases · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimsThe aim of this study was to determine whether the allergy status and other characteristics of common cold patients modify the effects of zinc acetate lozenges.
methodsWe had available individual patient data for three randomized placebo-controlled trials in which zinc acetate lozenges were administered to common cold patients. We used both one stage and two stage meta-analysis to estimate the effects of zinc lozenges.
resultsThe total number of common cold patients was 199, the majority being females. Eighty percent of them fell into the age range 20-50 years. One third of the patients had allergies. The one stage meta-analysis gave an overall estimate of 2.73 days (95% CI 1.8, 3.3 days) shorter colds by zinc acetate lozenge usage. The two stage meta-analysis gave an estimate of 2.94 days (95% CI 2.1, 3.8 days) reduction in common cold duration. These estimates are to be compared with the 7 day average duration of colds in the three trials. The effect of zinc lozenges was not modified by allergy status, smoking, baseline severity of the common cold, age, gender or ethnic group.
conclusionSince the effects of zinc acetate lozenges were consistent between the compared subgroups, the overall estimates for effect seemed applicable over a wide range of common cold patients. While the optimal composition of zinc lozenges and the best frequency of their administration should be further investigated, given the current evidence of efficacy, common cold patients may be encouraged to try zinc lozenges for treating their colds.
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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.