Postinfectious cough affects 11%–25% of adults after a respiratory infection
Postinfectious cough is defined as a subacute cough, with symptoms lasting between 3 and 8 weeks.1 The preceding infection triggers an inflammatory cascade, increasing bronchial sensitivity and mucus production, while reducing mucus clearance.1
Objectives. To synthesize existing knowledge about the effectiveness and harms of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD).
Data sources. Embase®, Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, MEDLINE® Daily, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Registrar of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus from database inception to January 2, 2019.
Review methods. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated pharmacologic intervention or nonpharmacologic interventions for ECOPD. The strength of evidence (SOE) was graded for critical final health outcomes.
Results. We included 98 RCTs (13,401 patients, mean treatment duration 9.9 days, mean followup 3.7 months). Final health outcomes, including mortality, resolution of exacerbation, hospital readmissions, repeat exacerbations, and need for intubation, were infrequently evaluated and often showed no statistically significant differences between groups. Antibiotic therapy increases the clinical cure rate and reduces the clinical failure rate regardless of the severity of ECOPD (moderate SOE). There is insufficient evidence to support a particular antibiotic regimen. Oral and intravenous corticosteroids improve dyspnea and reduce the clinical failure rate (low SOE). Despite the ubiquitous use of inhaled bronchodilators in ECOPD, we found only a small number of trials that assessed lung function tests, and not final health outcomes. The evidence is insufficient to support the effect of aminophyllines, magnesium sulfate, mucolytics, inhaled corticosteroids, inhaled antibiotics, 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, and statins on final health outcomes. Titrated oxygen reduces mortality compared with high flow oxygen (low SOE). Low SOE suggested benefit from some nonpharmacologic interventions such as chest physiotherapy using vibration/percussion/massage or breathing technique (on dyspnea), resistance training (on dyspnea and quality of life), early pulmonary rehabilitation commenced before hospital discharge during the initial most acute phase of exacerbation rather than the convalescence period (on dyspnea) and whole body vibration training (on quality of life). Vitamin D supplementation may improve quality of life (low SOE).
Conclusions. Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common condition, the evidence base for most interventions in ECOPD remains limited. Systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids are associated with improved outcomes in mild and moderate to severe ECOPD. Titrated oxygen reduces mortality. Future research is required to assess the effectiveness of several emerging nonpharmacologic and dietary treatments.
Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in the treatment of allergic asthma.
Data Sources. We searched PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL through May 8, 2017.
Methods. Two reviewers independently selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the efficacy of SCIT and SLIT and RCTs, observational studies, and case series or case reports on safety. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias for each study and together graded the strength of the evidence.
Results. We identified 54 RCTs on efficacy: 31 assessed SCIT and 18 assessed SLIT and 5 on SCIT versus SLIT. We included 80 studies on safety: 26 RCTs and 18 non-RCTs for SCIT, 20 RCTs and 10 non-RCTs for SLIT and one non-RCT on SCIT versus SLIT.
SCIT reduces the use of long-term control medications [moderate strength of evidence (SOE)]. SCIT may improve quality of life, reduce the use of quick-relief medications (short-acting bronchodilators), reduce the need for systemic corticosteroids, and improve FEV1 (low SOE). There was insufficient evidence regarding the effect of SCIT on asthma symptoms and health care utilization. Local and systemic allergic reactions were frequent but infrequently required a change in treatment. We are unable to draw conclusions about whether SCIT increased risk of anaphylaxis, primarily because anaphylaxis was not directly measured (insufficient SOE). There was one case report of a death determined possibly to be caused by SCIT.
SLIT improves asthma symptoms (high SOE); decreases use of long-term control medication and improves FEV1 (moderate SOE). SLIT may decrease quick-relief medication use, and may improve quality of life (low SOE). There was insufficient evidence about the effect of SLIT on systemic corticosteroid use and health care utilization. Local and systemic allergic reactions were common but infrequently required changes in treatment. Life-threatening reactions were not commonly reported, with three case reports of anaphylaxis (insufficient SOE) and no deaths (moderate SOE) reported.
There was insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the comparative effects of SCIT versus SLIT or for differential effects of immunotherapy based on patient age, setting of administration, or type of allergen.
Conclusions. Overall, SLIT and SCIT were beneficial for the majority of asthma-related outcomes assessed in this report. Local and systemic allergic reactions were common but infrequently required changes in treatment. Life-threatening events (such as anaphylaxis) were reported rarely.
