Herbal Medicine in Children With Respiratory Tract Infection: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Anheyer, D; Cramer, H; Lauche, R; Saha, FJ; Dobos, G

Herbal Medicine in Children With Respiratory Tract Infection: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Anheyer, D Cramer, H Lauche, R

Saha, FJ Dobos, G

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Academic Pediatrics, 2018, 18 (1), pp. 8 - 19
Issue Date:: 2018-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Anheyer, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Cramer, H	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lauche, R https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-7935	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Saha, FJ	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Dobos, G	en_US
dc.date.available	2017-06-03	en_US
dc.date.issued	2018-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Academic Pediatrics, 2018, 18 (1), pp. 8 - 19	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1876-2859	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/121563
dc.description.abstract	© 2017 Academic Pediatric Association Background Herbal medicines are particularly regarded as an alternative or complement to conventional pharmaceuticals in the treatment and prevention of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Therefore, the purpose of this review was to identify evidence for herbal therapy in the treatment of RTIs concerning effectiveness and safety. Methods Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched through February 12, 2015. Randomized controlled trials that compared herbal therapy with no treatment, placebo, or any pharmaceutical medication in children and adolescents (age 0 to 18 years) with RTI were eligible. Results Eleven trials with 2181 participants were included. No clear evidence for Echinacea (4 trials) or an herbal compound preparation (1 trial) in preventing RTI symptoms was found. Meta-analysis revealed evidence for efficacy (responder rates: risk ratio [RR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54–4.26; P <.01; heterogeneity: I 2 = 38%; chi-square = 9.63; P =.14) and safety (patients with adverse events: RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.42–2.66; P =.9; heterogeneity: I 2 = 72%; chi-square = 10.64; P =.01) of Pelargonium sidoides in treating RTI symptoms compared with placebo (6 trials). Conclusions Because of conflicting evidence in the included studies no concrete conclusion on effects of Echinacea could be drawn so far. In the case of Pelargonium sidoides, meta-analysis revealed moderate evidence for efficacy and safety in the treatment of RTIs in children.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Academic Pediatrics	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.acap.2017.06.006	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Pediatrics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Echinacea	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pelargonium	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Respiratory Tract Infections	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Plant Preparations	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Plant Extracts	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Child, Preschool	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn	en_US
dc.title	Herbal Medicine in Children With Respiratory Tract Infection: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	18	en_US
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	18	en_US

Abstract:

© 2017 Academic Pediatric Association Background Herbal medicines are particularly regarded as an alternative or complement to conventional pharmaceuticals in the treatment and prevention of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Therefore, the purpose of this review was to identify evidence for herbal therapy in the treatment of RTIs concerning effectiveness and safety. Methods Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched through February 12, 2015. Randomized controlled trials that compared herbal therapy with no treatment, placebo, or any pharmaceutical medication in children and adolescents (age 0 to 18 years) with RTI were eligible. Results Eleven trials with 2181 participants were included. No clear evidence for Echinacea (4 trials) or an herbal compound preparation (1 trial) in preventing RTI symptoms was found. Meta-analysis revealed evidence for efficacy (responder rates: risk ratio [RR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54–4.26; P <.01; heterogeneity: I 2 = 38%; chi-square = 9.63; P =.14) and safety (patients with adverse events: RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.42–2.66; P =.9; heterogeneity: I 2 = 72%; chi-square = 10.64; P =.01) of Pelargonium sidoides in treating RTI symptoms compared with placebo (6 trials). Conclusions Because of conflicting evidence in the included studies no concrete conclusion on effects of Echinacea could be drawn so far. In the case of Pelargonium sidoides, meta-analysis revealed moderate evidence for efficacy and safety in the treatment of RTIs in children.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/121563