Effect of multiple honey doses on non-specific acute cough in children. An open randomised study and literature review

BACKGROUND: Honey is recommended for non-specific acute paediatric cough by the Australian guidelines. Current available randomised clinical trials evaluated the effects of a single evening dose of honey, but multiple doses outcomes have never been studied. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of wildflower honey, given for three subsequent evenings, on non-specific acute paediatric cough, compared to dextromethorphan (DM) and levodropropizine (LDP), which are the most prescribed over-the-counter (OTC) antitussives in Italy. METHODS: 134 children suffering from non-specific acute cough were randomised to receive for three subsequent evenings a mixture of milk (90 ml) and wildflower honey (10 ml) or a dose of DM or LDP adjusted for the specific age. The effectiveness was evaluated by a cough questionnaire answered by parents. Primary end-point efficacy was therapeutic success. The latter was defined as a decrease in cough questionnaire score greater than 50% after treatment compared with baseline values. RESULTS: Three children were excluded from the study, as their parents did not complete the questionnaire. Therapeutic success was achieved by 80% in the honey and milk group and 87% in OTC medication group (p = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Milk and honey mixture seems to be at least as effective as DM or LDP in non-specific acute cough in children. These results are in line with previous studies, which reported the health effects of honey on paediatric cough, even if placebo effect cannot be totally excluded

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Effect of multiple honey doses on non-specific acute cough in children. An open randomised study and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Honey is recommended for non-specific acute paediatric cough by the Australian guidelines. Current available randomised clinical trials evaluated the effects of a single evening dose of honey, but multiple doses outcomes have never been studied. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of wildflower honey, given for three subsequent evenings, on non-specific acute paediatric cough, compared to dextromethorphan (DM) and levodropropizine (LDP), which are the most prescribed over-the-counter (OTC) antitussives in Italy. METHODS: 134 children suffering from non-specific acute cough were randomised to receive for three subsequent evenings a mixture of milk (90ml) and wildflower honey (10ml) or a dose of DM or LDP adjusted for the specific age. The effectiveness was evaluated by a cough questionnaire answered by parents. Primary end-point efficacy was therapeutic success. The latter was defined as a decrease in cough questionnaire score greater than 50% after treatment compared with baseline values. RESULTS: Three children were excluded from the study, as their parents did not complete the questionnaire. Therapeutic success was achieved by 80% in the honey and milk group and 87% in OTC medication group (p=0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Milk and honey mixture seems to be at least as effective as DM or LDP in non-specific acute cough in children. These results are in line with previous studies, which reported the health effects of honey on paediatric cough, even if placebo effect cannot be totally excluded.

[The Rorschach test during chronic haemodialysis (author's transl)].

Twenty-eight patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis for renal failure and seven patients suffering from chronic uremia, but not on dialysis programs were submitted to the Rorschach test. The patients who were undergoing haemodialysis for less than one year showed higher signs of anxiety (shock and Hd responses); on the other hand patients undergoing the treatment for more than 5 years showed a generally worse quality response to the test. This bad performance was interpreted either as a sign of organic brain damage or as a worse cooperation in the test procedure.