Our reviews and topics list

Illustration of the respiratory system

Respiratory infections are the leading cause of use of general practice services in Australia and in many other countries. Acute respiratory infections are amongst the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children in low-income settings. They are often managed sub-optimally and are a leading cause of the overuse of antibiotics, suggesting deficiencies in the application of research data to inform clinical decisions.

Our Reviews

Full list:

By subtopic:

Acute cough (acute bronchitis) (5)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (5)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for acute bronchitis
Bronchodilators (1)
Beta2-agonists for acute cough or a clinical diagnosis of acute bronchitis
Other therapies (3)
Chinese medicinal herbs for acute bronchitis
oral vaccination for preventing acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Honey for acute cough in children
Acute rhinosinusitis/sinusitis (5)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (5)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis in adults
Other therapies (2)
Decongestants, antihistamines and nasal irrigation for acute sinusitis in children
extract for acute sinusitis
Steroids (2)
Systemic corticosteroids for acute sinusitis
Intranasal steroids for acute sinusitis
Adverse events (1)
Adverse events in people taking macrolide antibiotics versus placebo for any indication
Bronchiolitis (17)
Prevention (0)
Immunoglobulin (0)
Treatment (17)
Antibiotics (2)
Antibiotics for bronchiolitis in children under two years of age
Macrolides for diffuse panbronchiolitis
Inhalation therapy (5)
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for acute bronchiolitis in children
Heliox inhalation therapy for bronchiolitis in infants
High-flow nasal cannula therapy for infants with bronchiolitis
Steam inhalation or humidified oxygen for acute bronchiolitis in children up to three years of age
Nebulised hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants
Other therapies (7)
Chest physiotherapy for acute bronchiolitis in paediatric patients between 0 and 24 months old
Immunoglobulin treatment for hospitalised infants and young children with respiratory syncytial virus infection
Parenteral versus enteral fluid therapy for children hospitalised with bronchiolitis
Leukotriene inhibitors for bronchiolitis in infants and young children
Magnesium sulphate for treating acute bronchiolitis in children up to two years of age
Nebulised deoxyribonuclease for viral bronchiolitis in children younger than 24 months
Surfactant therapy for bronchiolitis in critically ill infants
Bronchodilators (2)
Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis
Epinephrine for bronchiolitis
Steroids (1)
Glucocorticoids for acute viral bronchiolitis in infants and young children
Chickenpox (varicella zoster) (2)
Prevention (1)
Antivirals (0)
Vaccines (1)
Vaccines for post-exposure prophylaxis against varicella (chickenpox) in children and adults
Treatment (1)
Antivirals (1)
Acyclovir for treating varicella in otherwise healthy children and adolescents
Vaccines (0)
Common cold (coryza) (20)
Prevention (4)
Antivirals (0)
Complementary medicine (3)
Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold
Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold
Zinc for prevention and treatment of the common cold (protocol stage)
Vaccines (1)
Vaccines for the common cold
Treatment (16)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for the common cold and acute purulent rhinitis
Antivirals (0)
Complementary medicine (5)
Chinese medicinal herbs for the common cold
Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold
Garlic for the common cold
Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold
Zinc for prevention and treatment of the common cold (protocol stage)
Other therapies (9)
Intranasal ipratropium bromide for the common cold
Acetaminophen (paracetamol) for the common cold in adults
Acetylcysteine and carbocysteine for acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections in paediatric patients without chronic broncho-pulmonary disease
Antihistamines for the common cold
Nasal decongestants in monotherapy for the common cold
Heated, humidified air for the common cold
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the common cold
Oral antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in community settings
Steroids (1)
Corticosteroids for the common cold
Croup (4)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (4)
Antibiotics (0)
Antivirals (0)
Inhalation therapy (3)
Heated, humidified air for the common cold
Heliox for croup in children
Nebulized epinephrine for croup in children
Steroids (1)
Glucocorticoids for croup in children
Diphtheria (1)
Prevention (1)
Vaccines (1)
Combined DTP-HBV-HIB vaccine versus separately administered DTP-HBV and HIB vaccines for primary prevention of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae B (HIB)
Treatment (0)
Epiglottitis (0)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (0)
German measles (rubella) (2)
Prevention (2)
Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children
Post-exposure passive immunisation for preventing rubella and congenital rubella syndrome
Treatment (0)
Glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) (2)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (2)
Antivirals (1)
Antiviral agents for infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever)
Steroids (1)
Steroids for symptom control in infectious mononucleosis
Shingles (herpes zoster) (1)
Prevention (1)
Vaccines (1)
Vaccines for preventing herpes zoster in older adults
Treatment (0)
Histoplasmosis (0)
Influenza (20)
Prevention (13)
Amantadine and rimantadine (2)
Amantadine and rimantadine for influenza A in children and the elderly
Amantadine and rimantadine for influenza A in adults
Neuraminidase inhibitors (2)
Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in children (published trials only)
Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in adults and children
Other interventions (2)
Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses
Homeopathic Oscillococcinum for preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like illness
Overview of prevention interventions (0)
Vaccines (7)
Exercise prior to influenza vaccination for limiting influenza incidence and its related complications in adults
Combined DTP-HBV-HIB vaccine versus separately administered DTP-HBV and HIB vaccines for primary prevention of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae B (HIB)
Influenza vaccination for healthcare workers who care for people aged 60 or older living in long-term care institutions
Interventions to increase influenza vaccination rates of those 60 years and older in the community
Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children
Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly
Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults
Treatment (7)
Amantadine and rimantadine (2)
Amantadine and rimantadine for influenza A in children and the elderly
Amantadine and rimantadine for influenza A in adults
Neuraminidase inhibitors (2)
Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in children (published trials only)
Neuraminidase inhibitors for preventing and treating influenza in adults and children
Other interventions (3)
Chinese medicinal herbs for influenza
Homeopathic Oscillococcinum for preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like illness
Corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of influenza
Overview of treatment interventions (0)
Laryngitis (1)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (1)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for acute laryngitis in adults
Legionnaire's disease (0)
Measles (6)
Prevention (3)
Other therapies (2)
Post-exposure passive immunisation for preventing measles
Routine vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of blindness due to measles infection in children
Vaccines (1)
Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children
Treatment (3)
Chinese medicinal herbs for measles
Vitamin A for treating measles in children
Zinc supplementation for the treatment of measles in children
Middle ear infection (acute otitis media) (12)
Prevention (6)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for the prevention of acute and chronic suppurative otitis media in children
Other therapies (3)
Probiotics for preventing acute otitis media in children
Xylitol for preventing acute otitis media in children up to 12 years of age
Zinc supplements for preventing otitis media
Vaccines (2)
Influenza vaccines for preventing acute otitis media in infants and children
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for preventing acute otitis media in children
Treatment (6)
Antibiotics (3)
Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children
Once or twice daily versus three times daily amoxicillin with or without clavulanate for the treatment of acute otitis media
Short-course antibiotics for acute otitis media
Other therapies (3)
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alone or combined, for pain relief in acute otitis media in children
Systemic corticosteroids for acute otitis media in children
Topical analgesia for acute otitis media
Meningitis (11)
Diagnosis (1)
Diagnostic test accuracy of jolt accentuation for headache in acute meningitis in the emergency setting
Prevention (3)
Antibiotics (2)
Antibiotics for preventing meningococcal infections
Antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing meningitis in patients with basilar skull fractures
Vaccines (1)
Polysaccharide vaccines for preventing serogroup A meningococcal meningitis
Treatment (7)
Antibiotics (2)
Pre-admission antibiotics for suspected cases of meningococcal disease
Third generation cephalosporins versus conventional antibiotics for treating acute bacterial meningitis
Other therapies (3)
Fluid therapy for acute bacterial meningitis
Non-corticosteroid adjuvant therapies for acute bacterial meningitis
Osmotic therapies added to antibiotics for acute bacterial meningitis
Steroids (2)
Corticosteroids for acute bacterial meningitis
Corticosteroids for parasitic eosinophilic meningitis
Mumps (3)
Prevention (1)
Vaccines (1)
Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children
Treatment (2)
Complementary medicine (2)
Acupuncture for mumps in children
Chinese medicinal herbs for mumps
Pleural infections (1)
Surgical versus non-surgical management for pleural empyema
Pneumonia (34)
Diagnosis (1)
Clinical symptoms and signs for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children and adolescents with community-acquired pneumonia
Prevention (9)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for preventing complications in children with measles
Complementary medicine (4)
Probiotics for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia
Vitamin C for preventing and treating pneumonia
Vitamin C supplementation for prevention and treatment of pneumonia
Zinc supplementation for the prevention of pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 59 months
Other therapies (1)
Semi-recumbent position versus supine position for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in adults requiring mechanical ventilation
Vaccines (3)
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for preventing invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia in children aged up to five years (protocol stage)
Vaccines for preventing pneumococcal infection in adults
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for preventing vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease and X-ray defined pneumonia in children less than two years of age
Treatment (24)
Antibiotics (14)
Antibiotics for ventilator-associated pneumonia
Antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in adult outpatients
Antibiotics for hospital-acquired pneumonia in neonates and children
Antibiotics for community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections secondary to in children
Short-course versus long-course antibiotic therapy for non-severe community-acquired pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 59 months
Antibiotic therapy versus no antibiotic therapy for children aged 2 to 59 months with WHO-defined non-severe pneumonia and wheeze
Antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in children
Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) as an adjunct to antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia in adults
Empiric antibiotic coverage of atypical pathogens for community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized adults
Vitamin D as an adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of acute childhood pneumonia
Oral antibiotics versus parenteral antibiotics for severe pneumonia in children
Short-course versus long-course therapy of the same antibiotic for community-acquired pneumonia in adolescent and adult outpatients
Short-course versus prolonged-course antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia in critically ill adults
Short-course versus long-course intravenous therapy with the same antibiotic for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children aged two months to 59 months
Complementary medicine (4)
Vitamin A for non-measles pneumonia in children
Vitamin C for preventing and treating pneumonia
Vitamin C supplementation for prevention and treatment of pneumonia
Zinc supplementation as an adjunct to antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia in children 2 to 59 months of age
Other therapies (6)
Chest physiotherapy for pneumonia in adults
Chest physiotherapy for pneumonia in children
Corticosteroids for pneumonia
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications to reduce cough as an adjunct to antibiotics for acute pneumonia in children and adults
Quantitative versus qualitative cultures of respiratory secretions for clinical outcomes in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia
Oxygen therapy for pneumonia in adults
Respiratory syncytial virus (3)
Prevention (2)
Monoclonal antibody for reducing the risk of respiratory syncytial virus infection in children
Palivizumab for preventing severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children
Treatment (1)
Immunoglobulin treatment for hospitalised infants and young children with respiratory syncytial virus infection
SARS (1)
Prevention (0)
Treatment (1)
Chinese herbs combined with Western medicine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Sore throat (pharyngitis, tonsillitis) (8)
Diagnosis (1)
Rapid antigen detection test for group A streptococcus in children with pharyngitis
Prevention (0)
Treatment (7)
Antibiotics (3)
Antibiotics for treatment of sore throat in children and adults
Different antibiotic treatments for group A streptococcal pharyngitis
Short-term late-generation antibiotics versus longer term penicillin for acute streptococcal pharyngitis in children
Other therapies (4)
Chinese medicinal herbs for sore throat
Corticosteroids as standalone or add-on treatment for sore throat
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for acute sore throat (protocol stage)
Efficacy and safety of rapid tests to guide antibiotic prescriptions for sore throat
Undifferentiated acute respiratory infections (30)
Advising patients to increase fluid intake for treating acute respiratory infections
Antibiotics for preventing suppurative complications from undifferentiated acute respiratory infections in children under five years of age
Antibiotics for preventing lower respiratory tract infections in high-risk children aged 12 years and under
Azithromycin for acute lower respiratory tract infections
Oral (Huang qi) for preventing frequent episodes of acute respiratory tract infection in children
Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections
Biomarkers as point-of-care tests to guide prescription of antibiotics in people with acute respiratory infections in primary care
Chest radiographs for acute lower respiratory tract infections
Continuous negative extrathoracic pressure or continuous positive airway pressure compared to conventional ventilation for acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure in children
Delayed antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infections
Written information for patients (or parents of child patients) to reduce the use of antibiotics for acute upper respiratory tract infections in primary care
Exercise versus no exercise for the occurrence, severity, and duration of acute respiratory infections
Immunostimulants for preventing respiratory tract infection in children
Remediating buildings damaged by dampness and mould for preventing or reducing respiratory tract symptoms, infections and asthma
Interventions to facilitate shared decision making to address antibiotic use for acute respiratory infections in primary care
Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections
Oral vitamin C supplements to prevent and treat acute upper respiratory tract infections (protocol stage)
Oral vitamin A supplements to prevent acute upper respiratory tract infections in children up to seven years of age (protocol stage)
Oxygen therapy for lower respiratory tract infections in children between 3 months and 15 years of age
Monoclonal antibody for reducing the risk of respiratory syncytial virus infection in children
Pelargonium sidoides extract for treating acute respiratory tract infections
Positioning for acute respiratory distress in hospitalised infants and children
Rapid viral diagnosis for acute febrile respiratory illness in children in the Emergency Department
Clinician-targeted interventions to influence antibiotic prescribing behaviour for acute respiratory infections in primary care: an overview of systematic reviews
Procalcitonin to initiate or discontinue antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections
Topical antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce respiratory tract infections and mortality in adults receiving mechanical ventilation
Vitamin A for preventing acute lower respiratory tract infections in children up to seven years of age
Vitamin A for preventing acute lower respiratory tract infections in children up to seven years of age (protocol stage)
Vitamin D for preventing acute respiratory infections in children up to five years of age (protocol stage)
Homeopathic medicinal products for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children
Whooping cough (pertussis) (5)
Prevention (3)
Vaccines (3)
Acellular vaccines for preventing whooping cough in children
Combined DTP-HBV-HIB vaccine versus separately administered DTP-HBV and HIB vaccines for primary prevention of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae B (HIB)
Efficacy and safety of pertussis vaccination in pregnancy to prevent whooping cough in early infancy (protocol stage)
Treatment (2)
Antibiotics (1)
Antibiotics for whooping cough (pertussis)
Other therapies (1)
Symptomatic treatment of the cough in whooping cough