NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Nov 08 - Vapor rub may relieve a kid's nighttime cough and nasal congestion, suggests a new study funded by Vick's, the makers of the old-fashioned topical treatment.
Most children suffer between six and 10 colds every year, according to the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. And parents try lots of different remedies.
"There is no evidence to support the effectiveness of any of the oral over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for kids, even though they are used by one in 10 each week," Dr. Ian M. Paul of Penn State College of Medicine, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, told Reuters Health. "The American Academy of Pediatrics has been pretty clear and consistent on this."
Evidence supporting the use of vapor rub -- a commonly used concoction containing camphor, menthol and eucalyptus oils -- has also been lacking, added Dr. Paul.
After his team's previous research concluded that common cough suppressants and antihistamines (dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine) were no more effective than placebo or honey, Dr. Paul recalled frequent queries from people curious about vapor rub:
So he and his colleagues enrolled 138 children, averaging 6 years old, and randomly assigned each kid to receive petroleum-based Vick's VapoRub, or petroleum jelly without any active ingredients, or no treatment.
Parents in the two topical treatment groups applied vapor rub under their own noses before treating their kids. This way, with parents inhaling the characteristic smell of vapor rub, they wouldn't be able to tell what treatment the child was receiving.
Parents completed surveys at enrollment in the study and within 30 minutes of waking after the one night of study treatment. Results showed that kids receiving vapor rub experienced noticeably less cough, congestion and more restful sleep than kids in the other two groups.
Parents of the vapor-rubbed kids also reported improved sleep themselves, the authors said in their paper, published online today in Pediatrics.
"Kids and their parents slept better, and sleep is such an important thing for everyone, especially for kids that have to go to school the next day and parents who have to work," said Dr. Paul.
The rub didn't seem to relieve runny noses, and it caused mild irritation in nearly half of kids. On the other hand, more serious side effects have been associated with oral over-the-counter cold medicines, ranging from tachycardia to death.
Vicks VapoRub costs about $5 for 1.75 oz. There are also generic versions available.
How the concoction relieves cold symptoms is not entirely clear. The researchers suggest that the cooling sensation of menthol triggers the perception of improved airflow. But they aren't certain just how that might translate into improved symptoms.
"Parents want to give something. Pediatricians want to recommend something," Dr. Paul said.
"I think we've given them something to try, and evidence that it works," he added. "For kids ages 2 and up vapor rub is a generally safe and effective therapy."
The entire article is available online at no charge, at the URL listed below.
Pediatrics. Posted online November 8, 2010. Abstract
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