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Hypertonic saline (HS) nose drops reduce the duration of symptoms associated with viral upper respiratory tract infections in children, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress. Steve Cunningham, MBChB, PhD, and colleagues investigated whether HS nose drops (2.6%) could reduce duration of illness among 407 children aged 0-6. Children were randomly assigned to HS nose drops (three drops per nostril 4 or more times per day until well) or usual care (UC). In the HS group, children received a median of 5 days of HS drops a median three times per day. Symptoms were a median duration of 2 days shorter with HS (6 vs 8 days with UC; P=0.004). Shortened duration of symptoms was only seen when virus was detected, but not when virus was not detected. The most common virus detected was rhinovirus. In the HS group, fewer household contacts developed a URTI (41% vs 58% with UC; P=0.008). No serious adverse events occurred.
