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Heated, humidified air for the common cold
1Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh, India, 160012.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 24, 2004
Summary
Inhaling heated water vapor may relieve common cold symptoms, but evidence for reduced viral shedding or improved nasal resistance is inconsistent. Further research with standardized methods is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Heated, humidified air inhalation is a common remedy for cold symptoms.
- A rhinotherm device delivers heated water vapor to the nasal cavity for therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of heated water vapor inhalation using a rhinotherm for common cold treatment.
- To compare symptom relief, viral shedding, and nasal resistance.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized trials involving heated water vapor inhalation for the common cold.
- Searched multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) for relevant studies.
- Included studies with standardized therapy in patients or volunteers with induced rhinovirus infection.
Main Results:
- Warm vapor inhalation showed a benefit in symptom relief (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.16-0.60).
- Results on symptom scores and nasal resistance were equivocal, with some studies showing improvement and others none.
- No evidence of decreased viral shedding was found; viral titres remained similar to placebo groups.
Conclusions:
- Three trials indicated beneficial effects on common cold symptoms.
- One study showed decreased nasal resistance, while North American studies found no objective improvement.
- A multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial with uniform outcome measures is recommended.