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Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

1,080 questions in 109 reviews · Acute Respiratory Infections

current versions
No studies 132 · 12.2%Ungraded 90 · 8.3%Very low 169 · 15.6%Low 306 · 28.3%Moderate 287 · 26.6%High 96 · 8.9%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Head box vs nasopharyngeal catheter
Treatment failure Failure to achieve adequate oxygenation (SaO2 greater than 60 mmHg) · children with severe acute LRTIs
Oxygen therapy for lower respiratory tract infections in children between 3 months and 15 years of age (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.4 [0.13, 1.12]1 study · 80 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Number of people who had not improved or had not been cured ( · children and adults with acute pneumonia
Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications to reduce cough as an adjunct to antibiotics for acute pneumonia in… (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.85 [0.4, 1.8]2 studies · 221 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Cough score Scale from: 0 (absent) to 3 (very severe) ( · children and adults with acute pneumonia
Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications to reduce cough as an adjunct to antibiotics for acute pneumonia in… (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 120 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Adverse events ( · children and adults with acute pneumonia
Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications to reduce cough as an adjunct to antibiotics for acute pneumonia in… (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 120 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Complications (e.g. medication change) · children and adults with acute pneumonia
Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications to reduce cough as an adjunct to antibiotics for acute pneumonia in… (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 3 to 7 · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.33 [1.09, 1.62]5 studies · 1043 participantsModerate
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 3 to 7 ‐ Co‐treatment with antibiotics · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.4 [1.08, 1.81]4 studies · 869 participantsLow
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 3 to 7 ‐ Corticosteroid monotherapy · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.12 [0.87, 1.44]1 study · 174 participantsModerate
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 4 to 14 · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.23 [1.02, 1.49]5 studies · 1116 participantsModerate
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 4 to 14 ‐ Co‐treatment with antibiotics · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 1.32 [1.04, 1.68]4 studies · 945 participantsLow
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Proportion of patients with resolution or improved symptoms at days 4 to 14 ‐ Corticosteroid monotherapy · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.99 [0.85, 1.16]1 study · 171 participantsModerate
Oral corticosteroids vs placebo or NSAID
Adverse events · patients with acute sinusitis
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 1193 participantsModerate
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Incidence of VAP · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.7 [0.52, 0.95]8 studies · 1018 participantsLow
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
ICU mortality · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.84 [0.58, 1.22]5 studies · 703 participantsVery low
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Hospital mortality · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.78 [0.54, 1.14]4 studies · 524 participantsVery low
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Diarrhoea · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.72 [0.47, 1.09]4 studies · 618 participantsVery low
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Length of ICU stay (days) · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted4 studies · 396 participantsVery low
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Duration of mechanical ventilation (days) · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 203 participantsVery low
Per‐protocol analysis: probiotics vs control
Antibiotic use · patients receiving mechanical ventilation
Probiotics for preventing ventilator‐associated pneumonia (2014) · Cochrane
OR 1.23 [0.51, 2.96]1 study · 259 participantsLow
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Measles cases ‐ convalescent serum · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.21 [0.15, 0.29]3 studies · 301 participantsModerate
Gamma globulin vs serum
Adverse events · susceptible children exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Measles cases ‐ adult serum · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.52 [0.45, 0.59]2 studies · 586 participantsModerate
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Measles cases ‐ gamma globulin · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.17 [0.08, 0.36]2 studies · 545 participantsModerate
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Mortality due to measles · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.24 [0.13, 0.44]3 studies · 893 participantsHigh
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Complications due to measles · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.18 [0.05, 0.6]3 studies · 832 participantsModerate
Immunoglobulin vs no treatment
Adverse events · susceptible people exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Gamma globulin vs serum
Measles cases · susceptible children exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.56 [0.46, 0.69]2 studies · 702 participantsHigh
Gamma globulin vs serum
Mortality due to measles · susceptible children exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Gamma globulin vs serum
Complications due to measles · susceptible children exposed to measles
Post‐exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Duration of cold symptoms (days) · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted14 studies · 1656 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Severity of symptom score · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 513 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Incidence of common cold · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.64 [0.47, 0.88]2 studies · 394 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Number of participants symptomatic after 7 days of treatment · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
OR 0.45 [0.2, 1]5 studies · 476 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
School absence (number of days) · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 394 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Antibiotic use · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
OR 0.27 [0.16, 0.46]2 studies · 394 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Any adverse event · patients with common cold
Zinc for the common cold (2013) · Cochrane
OR 1.58 [1.19, 2.09]8 studies · 1217 participantsUngraded
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure ventilation vs control
Less than 30% FiO2 after 1 hour of therapy · children with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure or continuous positive airway pressure compared to conventional… (2013) · Cochrane
RR 10.69 [0.62, 183.85]1 study · 33 participantsVery low
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure ventilation vs control
Intermittent positive pressure ventilation during hospital stay · children with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure or continuous positive airway pressure compared to conventional… (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.4 [0.02, 9.06]1 study · 33 participantsVery low
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure ventilation vs control
CPAP during hospital stay · children with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure or continuous positive airway pressure compared to conventional… (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.4 [0.02, 9.06]1 study · 33 participantsVery low
Glucocorticoid vs placebo: summary of findings
Admissions (outpatients) · infants and young children with acute viral bronchiolitis
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted8 studies · 1762 participantsHigh
Glucocorticoid vs placebo: summary of findings
Admissions (outpatients) · infants and young children with acute viral bronchiolitis
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted5 studies · 1530 participantsModerate
Glucocorticoid vs placebo: summary of findings
Length of stay (inpatients) days · infants and young children with acute viral bronchiolitis
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted8 studies · 633 participantsHigh
Glucocorticoid and epinephrine vs placebo: summary of findings
Admissions (outpatients) · infants and young children with acute viral bronchiolitis
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 400 participantsLow
Glucocorticoid and epinephrine vs placebo: summary of findings
Admissions (outpatients) · infants and young children with acute viral bronchiolitis
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children (2013) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 400 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Failure to recover by day 7 (complete resolution of all symptoms) ‐ liquid preparation · adults with acute bronchitis
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.66 [0.52, 0.83]2 studies · 341 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Failure to recover by day 7 (complete resolution of all symptoms) ‐ tablet preparation · adults with acute bronchitis
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.95 [0.91, 0.99]1 study · 405 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Failure to recover by day 7 (complete resolution of all symptoms) ‐ liquid preparation · children with acute bronchitis
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.82 [0.77, 0.88]2 studies · 420 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Failure to recover by day 7 (complete resolution of all symptoms) ‐ tablet preparation · children with acute bronchitis
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.96 [0.89, 1.03]1 study · 399 participantsLow
P. sidoides vs placebo
Failure to recover by day 21 (complete resolution of all symptoms) · adults with acute sinusitis
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.43 [0.3, 0.62]1 study · 103 participantsVery low
Intervention NR
Failure to recover by day 5 (complete resolution of all symptoms) · adults with common cold
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections (2013) · Cochrane
RR 0.96 [0.9, 1.03]1 study · 103 participantsVery low