Cochrane · systematic review · CD004976
Oral antihistamine‐decongestant‐analgesic combinations for the common cold
De Sutter, AIM, Eriksson, L, van Driel, ML · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2022 · Cochrane Library
Acute Respiratory InfectionsAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
17
current version
GRADE rated
17
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 6 · 35.3%Moderate 7 · 41.2%High 4 · 23.5%
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.
Questions and results
Antihistamine‐decongestant compared to placebo for the common cold
Population: otherwise healthy adults and children with common cold symptoms
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Global evaluation Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 0.31 [0.2, 0.48] | 6 studies · 565 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse effects: all Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.58 [0.78, 3.21] | 7 studies · 842 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects: drowsiness, hypersomnia, and excessive sleepiness Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.38 [0.63, 3] | 5 studies · 692 participants | Low Downgraded: inconsistency |
Adverse effects: dry mouth Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 3.75 [1.74, 8.1] | 4 studies · 640 participants | High |
Adverse effects: insomnia Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 2.89 [0.88, 9.56] | 2 studies · 344 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects: gastrointestinal upset Antihistamine‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 2.81 [0.64, 12.33] | 2 studies · 296 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Antihistamine‐analgesic compared to placebo for the common cold
Population: otherwise healthy adults and children with common cold symptoms
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Global evaluation Antihistamine‐analgesic vs placebo | OR 0.33 [0.23, 0.46] | 1 study · 582 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse effects: drowsiness, hypersomnia, and excessive sleepiness Antihistamine‐analgesic vs placebo | OR 1.64 [0.48, 5.59] | 2 studies · 272 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Analgesic‐decongestant compared to placebo for the common cold
Population: otherwise healthy adults and children with common cold symptoms
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Global evaluation Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 0.28 [0.15, 0.52] | 1 study · 181 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Adverse effects: all Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.62 [1.18, 2.23] | 6 studies · 1797 participants | High |
Adverse effects: drowsiness, hypersomnia, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, and other central nervous system adverse effects Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.34 [0.76, 2.37] | 5 studies · 1644 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects: dry mouth Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.43 [0.53, 3.83] | 3 studies · 764 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency |
Adverse effects: gastrointestinal Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | RR 1.71 [0.97, 3.01] | 5 studies · 1644 participants | High |
Adverse effects: dizziness, lightheadedness Analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 2.86 [1.02, 8.01] | 4 studies · 1287 participants | High |
Antihistamine‐analgesic‐decongestant compared to placebo for the common cold
Population: otherwise healthy adults or children with common cold symptoms
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Global evaluation: after 3 days of treatment (included children 2 to 12 years old only) Antihistamine‐analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 0.34 [0.09, 1.31] | 1 study · 109 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Global evaluation: after 5 days of treatment (included children 2 to 12 years old only) Antihistamine‐analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 1.17 [0.49, 2.77] | 1 study · 83 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Global evaluation: on the morning after evening dosing (included adults only) Antihistamine‐analgesic‐decongestant vs placebo | OR 0.47 [0.33, 0.67] | 2 studies · 548 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |