Table 1 Health outcomes from reviewed studies, grouped into outcome categories used in meta-analyses
Category in Meta-Analysis | Number of studies | Outcomes from Individual Studies Included in Each Category |
|---|---|---|
Bronchitis (all: acute or chronic) | 13 | bronchitis, bronchitis in the prior year, current bronchitis, obstructive bronchitis, chronic bronchitis; doctor diagnosed bronchitis in the past year; bronchitis indicated by cough and phlegm ≥ 3 months for at least two consecutive years, bronchitis times per year |
Respiratory infection group | 19 | airway infection last month; sinus or ear infection with antibiotic use; cold; common cold; > 4 (or > 6) colds in last 12 months; frequent childhood respiratory infections; sinusitis; tonsillitis; acute upper respiratory tract infection in past 12 months; tonsillopharyngitis, croup, bronchitis, or bronchiolitis diagnosed by doctor; chest cold; consulting general practitioner for acute respiratory tract infection (with wheeze); sum of episodes of tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis, bronchitis; one or more episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia; tonsillitis, otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia at least once; chest cold with wheeze; otitis media; pneumonia; bronchitis times per year |
Respiratory infections excluding otitis media | 17 | same as listed in cell above excluding otitis media |
Respiratory infection group excluding nonspecific upper respiratory infection | 15 | sinus or ear infection with antibiotic use; sinusitis; tonsillitis; tonsillopharyngitis, croup, bronchitis, or bronchiolitis diagnosed by doctor; sum of episodes of tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis, bronchitis; one or more episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia; tonsillitis, otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia at least once; otitis media; pneumonia; bronchitis times per year |