Cold Medication for Nocturnal Cough in Children
Jenna M. O’Connell
Elisabeth B. Winterkorn
Effect of Dextromethorphan, Diphenhydramine, and Placebo on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents
Paul IM, Yoder KE, Crowell KR, et al. Pediatrics. 2004;114(1):e85–e90
Background
Cough is one of the most bothersome symptoms for children with upper respiratory tract infections (URI), and leads to more ambulatory visits than any other symptom.1 Parents and physicians often used over-the-counter (OTC) treatments to alleviate these symptoms, despite lack of evidence showing a clear benefit and documented risk of side effects. This study sought to assess prospectively whether common remedies were beneficial.
Objectives
To determine whether dextromethorphan (DM) or diphenhydramine (DPH) improves nocturnal cough in children with acute cough from URI as compared to placebo.
Methods
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 2 US pediatric outpatient practices from 2002 to 2003.
Patients
100 patients ages 2 to 16 years with cough attributable to URI (rhinorrhea and cough for ≤7 days). Select exclusion criteria: treatment ≤24 hours with DM or DPH, evidence of a treatable illness causing cough (including pneumonia or croup), asthma, chronic lung disease, or allergic rhinitis.
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