Introduction
This paper evaluates the seven Cochrane systematic
reviews that deal with non-antibiotic treatments
for upper-respiratory tract infection. This
was originally intended to include the review of
anti-viral treatment for the common cold, but this
review has been removed from the library as it was
not updated. The treatments in this review are
those that may be self-administered in many
jurisdictions (e.g. heated humidified air), as well
as being recommended in others by clinicians and
even subsidized by some health funders. Thus, the
term ‘‘over-the-counter’’ (OTC) is not strictly
correct. Most of the clinical syndromes in this
review fit the definition of the common cold, but,
as mentioned in the earlier review in this series on
‘‘antibiotics for upper-respiratory tract infections:
a review of Cochrane reviews,1
’’ there is the issue
of microbiological aetiology to consider. It is not
always clear if an infection is of a viral, bacterial or
mixed nature. In this paper, infections are assumed
to be mainly viral, but the microbiology is not
usually known or sought by clinicians.