Sore throat.
BACKGROUND
About 10-30% of people present to primary healthcare services with sore throat each year. The causative organisms of sore throat may be bacteria (most commonly Streptococcus) or viruses (typically rhinovirus), although it is difficult to distinguish bacterial from viral infections clinically.


METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of interventions to reduce symptoms of acute infective sore throat? What are the effects of interventions to prevent complications of acute infective sore throat? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to May 2006 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).


RESULTS
We found eight systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: antibiotics, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol, and probiotics.
Kenealy
Tim
T
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D013291:Streptococcus
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000082:Acetaminophen