QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jackson, J. L. Articles by Peterson, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jackson, J. L. Articles by Peterson, C.

---

Supplement

Zinc and the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis Revisited¹

Jeffrey L. Jackson^*2, Emil Lesho and Cecily Peterson

^* Department of Medicine–Educational Programs, Bethesda, MD 20814, Department of Primary Care, Internal Medicine Service, U.S. Army Medical Activity, Heidelberg, Germany and Department of Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431

²To whom correspondence and reprint request should be addressed.

The common cold has been estimated to cost the United States > $3.5 billion per year. Despite several randomized clinical trials, the effect of treating colds with zinc gluconate remains uncertain due to conflicting results. We conducted a meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials on the use of zinc gluconate lozenges in colds using the random effects model of DerSimonians and Laird. Ten clinical trials of cold treatment with zinc gluconate were identified. After excluding two studies that used nasal inoculum of rhinovirus, eight trials were combined and analyzed. The summary odds ratio for the presence of "any cold symptoms" at 7 d was 0.52 (95% confidence interval, 0.25–1.2). We conclude that despite numerous randomized trials, the evidence for effectiveness of zinc lozenges in reducing the duration of common colds is still lacking.

KEY WORDS: • common cold • zinc • meta-analysis • humans

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Kawakita, T. Shichidou, E. Inoue, T. Nabeta, H. Kitakoji, S. Aizawa, A. Nishida, N. Yamaguchi, N. Takahashi, E. Sumiya, et al. Do Japanese Style Acupuncture and Moxibustion Reduce Symptoms of the Common Cold? Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med., December 1, 2008; 5(4): 481 - 489. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G. Augusto Intranasal Zinc in the Management of the Common Cold Journal of Pharmacy Practice, December 1, 2006; 19(6): 395 - 400. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. C. Bolser Cough Suppressant and Pharmacologic Protussive Therapy: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 238S - 249S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Woodhead, F. Blasi, S. Ewig, G. Huchon, M. Leven, A. Ortqvist, T. Schaberg, A. Torres, G. van der Heijden, and T. J. M. Verheij Guidelines for the management of adult lower respiratory tract infections Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2005; 26(6): 1138 - 1180. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Barnard, V. D. Hubbard, D. F. Smee, R. W. Sidwell, K. G. W. Watson, S. P. T. Tucker, and P. A. R. Reece In Vitro Activity of Expanded-Spectrum Pyridazinyl Oxime Ethers Related to Pirodavir: Novel Capsid-Binding Inhibitors with Potent Antipicornavirus Activity Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., May 1, 2004; 48(5): 1766 - 1772. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Field, I. R. Johnson, and P. D. Schley Nutrients and their role in host resistance to infection J. Leukoc. Biol., January 1, 2002; 71(1): 16 - 32. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]