title: Effect of multiple honey doses on non-specific acute cough in children. An open randomised study and literature review.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of Sacre Hearth, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: smicelisopo@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miceli Sopo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of Sacre Hearth, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of Sacre Hearth, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Pediatria On Line, The Italian Pediatrics in Internet, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varrasi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento BioMedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, Carovigno, Brindisi, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simeone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003915:Dextromethorphan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D011409:Propylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D011409:Propylene Glycols; D003915:Dextromethorphan; C035916:dipropizine
keywords: Acute cough; Children; Dextromethorphane; Honey; Levodropropizine