Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33772626›Full record

ReviewEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2021

Essentials in saline pharmacology for nasal or respiratory hygiene in times of COVID-19.

Suzy Huijghebaert, Levi Hoste, Guido Vanham

Erratum issued Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. It is linked to trial NCT05729204 (Washing COVID-19 Away With a Hypertonic Seawater Nasal Irrigation Solution Containing Algal and Herbal Natural Ingredients), which is not on this map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
24citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
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.

NCT05729204 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Washing COVID-19 Away With a Hypertonic Seawater Nasal Irrigation Solution Containing Algal and Herbal Natural Ingredients

TypeinterventionalSponsorLarissa University HospitalRan2022 to 2022Enrolled56ConditionsSARS-CoV2 InfectionArmsHypertonic seawater solution
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 40 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Seawater nasal wash to reduce symptom duration and viral load in COVID-19 and upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled multicenter trial.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Suzy HuijghebaertIndependent Research Support, La Hulpe, Belgium. s.huijghebaert@scarlet.be.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5477-6838
Levi HostePediatric Pulmonology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9733-1049
Guido VanhamDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine and University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Baker Hughes (United States) · USGhent University Hospital · BEUniversity of Antwerp · BE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeNasal irrigation or nebulizing aerosol of isotonic or hypertonic saline is a traditional method for respiratory or nasal care. A recent small study in outpatients with COVID-19 without acute respiratory distress syndrome suggests substantial symptom resolution. We therefore analyzed pharmacological/pharmacodynamic effects of isotonic or hypertonic saline, relevant to SARS-CoV-2 infection and respiratory care.

methodsMixed search method.

resultsDue to its wetting properties, saline achieves an improved spreading of alveolar lining fluid and has been shown to reduce bio-aerosols and viral load. Saline provides moisture to respiratory epithelia and gels mucus, promotes ciliary beating, and improves mucociliary clearance. Coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 damage ciliated epithelium in the nose and airways. Saline inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero cells; possible interactions involve the viral ACE2-entry mechanism (chloride-dependent ACE2 configuration), furin and 3CLpro (inhibition by NaCl), and the sodium channel ENaC. Saline shifts myeloperoxidase activity in epithelial or phagocytic cells to produce hypochlorous acid. Clinically, nasal or respiratory airway care with saline reduces symptoms of seasonal coronaviruses and other common cold viruses. Its use as aerosol reduces hospitalization rates for bronchiolitis in children. Preliminary data suggest symptom reduction in symptomatic COVID-19 patients if saline is initiated within 48 h of symptom onset.

conclusionsSaline interacts at various levels relevant to nasal or respiratory hygiene (nasal irrigation, gargling or aerosol). If used from the onset of common cold symptoms, it may represent a useful add-on to first-line interventions for COVID-19. Formal evaluation in mild COVID-19 is desirable as to establish efficacy and optimal treatment regimens.

Indexed as

COVID-19HumansHygieneNasal LavageSaline SolutionSARS-CoV-2Saline SolutionAcute respiratory distress syndromeCOVID-19Mucociliary clearanceSalineSARS-CoV-2Sodium chloride

Identifiers

PMID33772626
PMCPMC7998085
OpenAlexW3123081816

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.