Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Acute upper airway infections.

J V West1

  • 1Children's Services, Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare Trust, Leicester, UK.

British Medical Bulletin
|May 9, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Many common cold treatments are ineffective for upper respiratory infections. Antibiotics offer limited benefit for sore throats, and their routine use may increase future healthcare visits.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evaluation of bronchial responsiveness to exercise in children as an objective measure of asthma in epidemiological surveys.

Thorax·1996
Same author

Neonatal screening--should we or shouldn't we?

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·1991
Same author

The antithrombin III content of cryoprecipitate prepared from blood collected with and without heparin.

Vox sanguinis·1983
Same author

Rorschach and draw-a-person responses of hypnotized and nonhypnotized subjects.

The Psychiatric quarterly·1963
Same journal

Augmentation in Achilles tendon repair: evidence versus enthusiasm.

British medical bulletin·2026
Same journal

Regional musculoskeletal pain in workers-is the traditional medical model increasing disability?

British medical bulletin·2026
Same journal

Human health in relation to visible, functional, and accessible green space: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the 3 + 30 + 300 guideline.

British medical bulletin·2026
Same journal

Muscle herniae in exercise-induced leg pain: diagnostic pitfalls and the 'repair paradox'.

British medical bulletin·2026
Same journal

Scaffolds and platelet concentrates in bone regenerative medicine: applications, mechanisms, and future approaches.

British medical bulletin·2026
Same journal

Back squat and deadlift fatiguing protocols elicit distinct countermovement jump profiles: phase-specific predictors and soreness responses.

British medical bulletin·2026
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • General Practice

Background:

  • Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are prevalent, causing significant morbidity and economic burden.
  • Many common cold therapies lack efficacy, and complications like cough are often unimproved by over-the-counter treatments.
  • Accurate diagnosis of bacterial vs. viral sore throat is challenging, with limited impact of diagnostic tests on prescribing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence on the effectiveness of various treatments for common URTIs.
  • To discuss the role of antibiotics in sore throat and recurrent infections.
  • To examine preventative strategies and treatment options for otitis media.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on URTI treatments, sore throat management, and otitis media.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of the impact of diagnostic tests and antibiotic prescribing practices.
  • Evaluation of preventative measures and interventions for acute and secretory otitis media.

    • Main Results:

    • Numerous therapies for the common cold show no effect on symptoms or outcomes.
    • Antibiotics have limited utility in recurrent group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal sore throat and their routine use in URTIs can increase future consultations.
    • Respiratory viruses are key in acute otitis media (AOM) etiology; prevention involves vaccination and reducing risk factors. Pneumococcal vaccines prevent a small percentage of AOM.

    Conclusions:

    • Evidence-based management of URTIs should focus on symptom relief rather than ineffective treatments.
    • Judicious antibiotic use is crucial for sore throats, reserving them for confirmed bacterial infections.
    • Preventative strategies, including vaccination and environmental modifications, are important for otitis media management.