RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 How effective are treatments other than antibiotics for acute sore throat?
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 817
OP 820
VO 50
IS 459
A1 Thomas, M
A1 Del Mar, C
A1 Glasziou, P
YR 2000
UL http://bjgp.org/content/50/459/817.abstract
AB To estimate the benefits of treatments other than antibiotics for acute sore throat, and the differences between non-antibiotic interventions and controls in patient-perceived pain of sore throat, a systematic review of controlled trials in Medline and the Cochrane Library was carried out. Sixty-six randomised controlled trials (with or without additional antibiotics) were identified and 17 met the selection criteria. Twenty-two non-antibiotic managements for sore throat were compared. Their efficacy relative to placebo ranged from no effect to 93%. Some non-antibiotic treatments may be more effective than antibiotics; however, publication bias may have exaggerated the benefits. These treatments should be investigated further with respect to efficacy, safety, and side-effects as potential firstline management options for acute sore throat.