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'Risk of bias' summary: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item for each included study.
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Figure 1

'Risk of bias' summary: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item for each included study.

'Risk of bias' graph: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item presented as percentages across all included studies.
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Figure 2

'Risk of bias' graph: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item presented as percentages across all included studies.

Forest plot of comparison: 12 Clinically improved, outcome: 12.1 Number of patients reporting no limitations or described as cured/well/globally improved.
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Figure 3

Forest plot of comparison: 12 Clinically improved, outcome: 12.1 Number of patients reporting no limitations or described as cured/well/globally improved.

Forest plot of comparison: 1 Cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 1.1 number of patients with cough.
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Figure 4

Forest plot of comparison: 1 Cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 1.1 number of patients with cough.

Forest plot of comparison: 2 Night cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 2.1 number of patients with night cough.
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Figure 5

Forest plot of comparison: 2 Night cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 2.1 number of patients with night cough.

Forest plot of comparison: 5 Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit, outcome: 5.1 number of patients not improved.
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Figure 6

Forest plot of comparison: 5 Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit, outcome: 5.1 number of patients not improved.

Forest plot of comparison: 6 Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit, outcome: 6.1 number of patients with abnormal lung exams.
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Figure 7

Forest plot of comparison: 6 Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit, outcome: 6.1 number of patients with abnormal lung exams.

Forest plot of comparison: 11 Days of feeling ill, outcome: 11.1 mean number of days of feeling ill.
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Figure 8

Forest plot of comparison: 11 Days of feeling ill, outcome: 11.1 mean number of days of feeling ill.

Forest plot of comparison: 10 Days of impaired activities, outcome: 10.1 mean number of days of impaired activities.
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Figure 9

Forest plot of comparison: 10 Days of impaired activities, outcome: 10.1 mean number of days of impaired activities.

Forest plot of comparison: 3 Productive cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 3.1 number of patients with productive cough.
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Figure 10

Forest plot of comparison: 3 Productive cough at follow‐up visit, outcome: 3.1 number of patients with productive cough.

Forest plot of comparison: 4 Number of patients with limitations.
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Figure 11

Forest plot of comparison: 4 Number of patients with limitations.

Forest plot of comparison: 8 Days of cough, outcome: 8.1 mean number of days of cough.
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Figure 12

Forest plot of comparison: 8 Days of cough, outcome: 8.1 mean number of days of cough.

Forest plot of comparison: 9 Days of productive cough, outcome: 9.1 mean number of days of productive cough.
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Figure 13

Forest plot of comparison: 9 Days of productive cough, outcome: 9.1 mean number of days of productive cough.

Forest plot of comparison: 7 Number of patients with adverse effects.
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Figure 14

Forest plot of comparison: 7 Number of patients with adverse effects.

Comparison 1 Cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with cough.
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Analysis 1.1

Comparison 1 Cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with cough.

Comparison 2 Night cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with night cough.
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Analysis 2.1

Comparison 2 Night cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with night cough.

Comparison 3 Productive cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with productive cough.
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Analysis 3.1

Comparison 3 Productive cough at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with productive cough.

Comparison 4 Limitation in work or activities at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with limitations.
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Analysis 4.1

Comparison 4 Limitation in work or activities at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with limitations.

Comparison 5 Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients not improved.
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Analysis 5.1

Comparison 5 Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients not improved.

Comparison 6 Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with abnormal lung exams.
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Analysis 6.1

Comparison 6 Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit, Outcome 1 Number of patients with abnormal lung exams.

Comparison 7 Adverse effects, Outcome 1 Number of patients with adverse effects.
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Analysis 7.1

Comparison 7 Adverse effects, Outcome 1 Number of patients with adverse effects.

Comparison 8 Days of cough, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of cough.
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Analysis 8.1

Comparison 8 Days of cough, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of cough.

Comparison 9 Days of productive cough, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of productive cough.
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Analysis 9.1

Comparison 9 Days of productive cough, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of productive cough.

Comparison 10 Days of impaired activities, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of impaired activities.
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Analysis 10.1

Comparison 10 Days of impaired activities, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of impaired activities.

Comparison 11 Days of feeling ill, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of feeling ill.
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Analysis 11.1

Comparison 11 Days of feeling ill, Outcome 1 Mean number of days of feeling ill.

Comparison 12 Clinically improved, Outcome 1 Number of patients reporting no limitations or described as cured/globally improved.
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Analysis 12.1

Comparison 12 Clinically improved, Outcome 1 Number of patients reporting no limitations or described as cured/globally improved.

Comparison 1. Cough at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with cough Show forest plot

4

275

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.64 [0.49, 0.85]

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Comparison 1. Cough at follow‐up visit
Comparison 2. Night cough at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with night cough Show forest plot

4

538

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.67 [0.54, 0.83]

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Comparison 2. Night cough at follow‐up visit
Comparison 3. Productive cough at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with productive cough Show forest plot

7

713

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.97 [0.82, 1.16]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

6

549

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.88 [0.72, 1.08]

1.2 Subgroup with productive cough from URTI study

1

164

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.24 [0.88, 1.75]

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Comparison 3. Productive cough at follow‐up visit
Comparison 4. Limitation in work or activities at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with limitations Show forest plot

5

478

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.75 [0.46, 1.22]

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Comparison 4. Limitation in work or activities at follow‐up visit
Comparison 5. Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients not improved Show forest plot

6

891

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.61 [0.48, 0.79]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

5

816

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.44 [0.30, 0.65]

1.2 Subgroup with non‐purulent tracheobronchitis from URTI study

1

75

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.03 [0.82, 1.29]

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Comparison 5. Not improved by physician's global assessment at follow‐up visit
Comparison 6. Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with abnormal lung exams Show forest plot

5

613

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.54 [0.41, 0.70]

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Comparison 6. Abnormal lung exam at follow‐up visit
Comparison 7. Adverse effects

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients with adverse effects Show forest plot

10

1509

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.15 [0.92, 1.44]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

9

1175

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.22 [0.94, 1.58]

1.2 Subgroup with no placebo control

1

334

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.95 [0.61, 1.50]

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Comparison 7. Adverse effects
Comparison 8. Days of cough

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean number of days of cough Show forest plot

6

969

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.44 [‐0.95, 0.07]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

5

543

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.58 [‐1.16, ‐0.01]

1.2 Subgroup with no placebo control

1

426

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.11 [‐1.01, 1.23]

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Comparison 8. Days of cough
Comparison 9. Days of productive cough

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean number of days of productive cough Show forest plot

6

699

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.43 [‐0.93, 0.07]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

5

535

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.52 [‐1.03, ‐0.01]

1.2 Subgroup with productive cough from URTI study

1

164

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.04 [‐1.04, 3.12]

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Comparison 9. Days of productive cough
Comparison 10. Days of impaired activities

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean number of days of impaired activities Show forest plot

6

767

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.49 [‐0.94, ‐0.04]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

5

393

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.48 [‐0.96, 0.01]

1.2 Subgroup with no placebo control

1

374

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.57 [‐1.75, 0.61]

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Comparison 10. Days of impaired activities
Comparison 11. Days of feeling ill

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean number of days of feeling ill Show forest plot

5

809

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.64 [‐1.16, ‐0.13]

1.1 Acute bronchitis studies

4

435

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.58 [‐1.16, ‐0.00]

1.2 Subgroup with no placebo control

1

374

Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)

‐0.86 [‐1.97, 0.25]

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Comparison 11. Days of feeling ill
Comparison 12. Clinically improved

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Number of patients reporting no limitations or described as cured/globally improved Show forest plot

9

1754

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

1.06 [1.02, 1.10]

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Comparison 12. Clinically improved