title: A meta-analysis of zinc salts lozenges and the common cold.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the United States, the common cold has been estimated to cost more than $3.5 billion a year. Despite several randomized clinical trials, the effect of treating colds with zinc salts lozenges remains uncertain because of conflicting results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials on the use of zinc salts lozenges in colds using a random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight clinical trials of treating adults with zinc salts lozenges were identified. After excluding 2 studies that used nasal inoculation of rhinovirus, 6 trials were combined and analyzed. The summary odds ratio for the presence of any cold symptoms at 7 days was 0.50 (95% confidence interval, 0.19-1.29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite numerous randomized trials, the evidence for effectiveness of zinc salts lozenges in reducing the duration of common colds is still lacking.
authors.affiliation: Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lesho
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D003139:Common Cold / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc