Rx for Cough: A Sweet Solution

Abstract

Uniform Services| March 01 2008 Rx for Cough: A Sweet Solution AAP Grand Rounds (2008) 19 (3): 28. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.19-3-28 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Rx for Cough: A Sweet Solution. AAP Grand Rounds March 2008; 19 (3): 28. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.19-3-28 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: cough, prescriptions, drug, honey Source: Paul IM, Beiler JJ, McMonagle A, et al. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(12):1140–1145. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University conducted a randomized, partially double-blinded study to compare the effectiveness of dextromethorphan (DM), honey, and no treatment on nocturnal cough in children with URIs. Patients were recruited from a single outpatient general pediatric practice. Children 2–18 years old presenting with a URI and cough of seven or fewer days’ duration were eligible for the study. Parents assessed the severity of five symptoms related to cough in their child during the previous night (frequency, severity, how bothersome it was to the child, loss of sleep in child, and loss of sleep in parent) using Likert scale responses. Only patients with bothersome cough symptoms were enrolled. Children diagnosed with asthma, pneumonia, sinusitis, or allergic rhinitis were excluded from the study as were patients using a drug known to affect the metabolism of DM (eg, SSRIs) and those who had used DM or an antihistamine for treatment of the cough within the day prior to enrollment. A total of 130 children were enrolled; 105 (81%) completed the single-night study. The median age of study patients was 5.2 years (range, 2.2–16.9). Thirty-five were randomized to receive one dose of buckwheat honey, 33 to one dose of honey-flavored DM, and 37 to no treatment. The dose for DM was adjusted for age, approximating the label recommendations: 2–5 years, ½ teaspoon; 6–11 years, 1 teaspoon; 12–18 years, 2 teaspoons. The honey group received similar volumes. There were no differences in cough severity at baseline between children in the different groups. Parents assessed cough symptoms during the night of the study using the same scale as was used previously. The main study outcome was change in cough severity symptoms from baseline. Children treated with honey had the greatest improvement in each of the five cough symptoms and total cough severity score, followed by those receiving DM, while the no-treatment group consistently showed the least amount of improvement. In two-way comparisons, children treated with honey had a significantly greater improvement in cough frequency (P=.01) and combined total symptom score (P=.04) than those randomized to no treatment. However, consistent with an earlier study by these authors,1 the results indicated that DM was not significantly better than no treatment at all for any cough symptom. Comparison of honey with DM revealed no significant differences. The authors conclude that buckwheat honey is an effective treatment for cough in children 2–18 years of age and offers a generally safe and well-tolerated alternative to DM. Dr. Dubik has disclosed no financial relationship relevant to this commentary. This commentary does not contain a discussion of an unapproved/investigative use of a commercial product/device. The use of DM is not supported by the AAP2 or the American College of Chest Physicians,3 and the FDA recently recommended... You do not currently have access to this content.