Regan Syrup has the effect of clearing heat, releasing exterior, benefiting pharynx and relieving cough, and previous phase Ⅱ clinical trial showed that the efficacy of Regan Syrup high-dose and low-dose groups was better than that of the placebo group, and there was no statistically significant difference in the safety between the three groups. The present study was conducted to further investigate the efficacy and safety of the recommended dose(20 mL) of Regan Syrup in the treatment of common cold(wind-heat syndrome). Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and divided into the test group(Regan Syrup+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo), positive drug group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules) and placebo group(Regan Syrup placebo+Shufeng Jiedu Capsules placebo) at a 1∶1∶1 using a block randomization method. The course of treatment was 3 days. A total of 119 subjects were included from six study centers, 39 in the test group, 40 in the positive drug group and 40 in the placebo group. The onset time of antipyretic effect was shorter in the test group than in the placebo group(P≤0.01) and the positive drug group, but the difference between the test group and the positive drug group was not significant. The test group was superior to the positive drug group in terms of fever resolution(P<0.05), and had a shorter onset time of fever resolution than the placebo group, but without obvious difference between the two groups. Compared to the positive drug group, the test group had shortened disappearance time of all symptoms(P≤0.000 1). In addition, the test group was better than the positive drug group and the placebo group in relieving symptoms of sore throat and fever(P<0.05), and in terms of clinical efficacy, the recovery rate of common cold(wind-heat syndrome) was improved in the test group compared to that in the placebo group(P<0.05). On the fourth day after treatment, the total TCM syndrome score in both test group and positive drug group was lower than that in the placebo group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between three groups and none of them experienced any serious adverse events related to the study drug. The results indicated that Regan Syrup could shorten the onset time of antipyretic effect, reduce the time of fever resolution, alleviate the symptoms such as sore throat and fever caused by wind-heat cold, reduce the total score of Chinese medicine symptoms, and improve the clinical recovery rate with good safety.
Humans ; Antipyretics/therapeutic use* ; Capsules ; Common Cold/diagnosis* ; Double-Blind Method ; Fever/drug therapy* ; Hot Temperature ; Pharyngitis ; Treatment Outcome

Post-COVID condition is the presence of new, recurring, or ongoing signs and symptoms for greater than four weeks after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Persistent headache as a neurologic sequalae of COVID-19 infection is a common prolonged symptom with limited characterization in the literature. This was a case of a 27-year-old female diagnosed with mild COVID-19 who presented with fever, colds, fatigue, headache, decreased hearing, sore throat, dry cough, pleuritic chest pain, anosmia, ageusia, myalgia, and severe low back pain. Headache was described as remitting, frontally located, squeezing and moderate to severe in pain intensity. She was admitted in a tertiary COVID referral hospital for 8 days and was managed supportively. On the 10th day of illness, symptoms had resolved except for an on and off headache. The residual recurrent headache lasted for more than 5 months after being tested negative for SARSCOV2 on repeat reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The possible pathophysiologic mechanisms for neurologic manifestations and prolonged headache were hypoxia, endothelial damage through angiotensin converting enzyme receptor, and cytokine reactions. The characteristics of the symptoms remained unclear despite the proposed mechanisms for prolonged headache among COVID-19 patients.
Headache ; COVID-19 ; Common Cold

Pharyngitis is a prevalent disease of the upper respiratory tract that requires treatment with an antibiotic. Group A streptococci (GAS) are the most frequent etiologic agents of bacterial pharyngitis. Because GAS are susceptible to penicillin, routine antibiotic susceptibility testing is not needed. Generally, patients with bacterial pharyngitis have high fever, cervical lymphadenopathy and tenderness, and tonsillar exudative discharge without symptoms of the common cold (e.g., cough, rhinorrhea, and sneezing). However, differentiating bacterial pharyngitis from viral pharyngitis based only on their clinical manifestations is problematic. Therefore, a bacterial culture or a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) is required for the diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis. Although bacterial culture is the gold standard for diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis, its accuracy is affected by the technical expertise of the technician, and there is a delay of 1–2 days before the results become available. In contrast, the sensitivity of RADT has increased to over 90%, making them suitable for screening purposes. The result of a RADT is available within 5–10 minutes, obviating the need for a second visit to obtain the results of culture. Use of a RADT would enable the optimal antibiotic to be administered earlier, reducing the overuse of antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Common Cold ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Drug Resistance ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mass Screening ; Penicillins ; Pharyngitis ; Professional Competence ; Respiratory System

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the experience of the upper respiratory infection of the elite winter sports athletes and its effect on training and competition. METHODS: We conducted survey on elite athletes preparing for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. The general characteristics, training and competition loss due to upper respiratory infection were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Multiple regression analysis was performed to find out the factors that influence on training loss due to upper respiratory infection. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant and data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 24.0. RESULTS: A total 65 players answered the questionnaire. Sixteen players (24.7%) reported that they got an upper respiratory infection more than three times a year. The month mainly affected by upper respiratory infection was September to November. Main symptom of upper respiratory infection was rhinorrhea mostly, followed by sore throat, cough, sputum. Six players (9.2%) answered that they were excluded from training more than three times due to upper respiratory infection for 1 year. Seven players (10.7%) answered that they were excluded from competition one time due to upper respiratory infection for 1 year. The factors that influence on training loss due to upper respiratory syndrome were the numbers of getting upper respiratory infection for 1 year and age. CONCLUSION: Elite winter athletes are vulnerable to upper respiratory and it has a bad effect on training and competition. So we need to take care of elite athletes' illness like upper respiratory infection.
Athletes ; Common Cold ; Cough ; Humans ; Pharyngitis ; Sports Medicine ; Sports ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: Incidence of whooping cough is increasing in Korea. Since 2011, occurrence among adolescents and adults has risen putting vulnerable neonates at risk. National immunization guidelines now include Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis) vaccination during pregnancy and as a cocooning strategy (i.e., vaccinating adults and adolescents in contact with neonates). This study assessed post-marketing Tdap (Boostrix®, GSK, Belgium) vaccine safety in subjects ≥ 10 years. METHODS: This open, non-comparative multi-center study was conducted over six years at 10 hospitals in Korea. Subjects received Tdap in normal clinical practice according to local prescribing information. All adverse events (AEs) were recorded, classified as expected or unexpected, and severity and relationship to Tdap were assessed. RESULTS: The analysis included 672 Korean subjects (mean age, 44 years; range, 11–81), 451 were women and 211 were pregnant. Ninety subjects experienced 124 AEs (incidence 13.39%) of which six were serious AEs (SAEs) assessed as not related to vaccination, and 51 were non-SAEs related to vaccination (mostly administration site reactions). Overall 65/124 AEs were unexpected; the most common were 14 constipation, 5 dyspepsia, 4 common cold and 4 premature labor cases. One case of common cold was assessed as possibly related to vaccination. Pregnancy outcome was ‘live infant, no apparent congenital anomaly’ in 195 subjects (92.42%) or ‘lost to follow-up’ in 16 subjects. CONCLUSION: Tdap administration to Korean subjects ≥ 10 years, including pregnant women, for the prevention of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis was shown to have a well-tolerated safety profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01929291
Adolescent ; Adult ; Common Cold ; Constipation ; Diphtheria Toxoid ; Diphtheria ; Dyspepsia ; Female ; Humans ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Prospective Studies ; Tetanus Toxoid ; Tetanus ; Vaccination ; Whooping Cough

PURPOSE: Upper respiratory tract infections are major causes of the common cold throughout the world. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a well-known functional food for its anti-fatigue and immunomodulating activities. On the other hand, there are no reports on the protective effect against upper respiratory tract infections (URI). This study was a 12 week randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial in healthy volunteers. METHODS: A total of 100 subjects 20 ~ 70 years of age with a history of at least two colds in the year were enrolled in the study. The participants were required to record any adverse events and rate any cold-related incidents in a diary during the investigation period. The efficacy end point was the symptoms and incidence of URI, and changes in cytokines, IgA and natural killer (NK) cell activity. RESULTS: The Cordyceps militaris group over 12 weeks showed no significant impact on the incidence and symptomatology of URI compared to the placebo group. On the other hand, the experimental group showed significantly higher NK cell activity (p = 0.047) and IgA level (p = 0.035) compared to the placebo group. The NK-cell activity and IgA level were increased significantly by Cordyceps militaris over 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the possible beneficial immunomodulating effects, but the protective effects on URI could not be demonstrated under these conditions. Additional research will be needed to determine the efficacy and mechanisms of Cordyceps militaris function.
Adult ; Common Cold ; Cordyceps ; Cytokines ; Functional Food ; Hand ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Incidence ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Respiratory Tract Infections

Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are one of the major causes of common cold in humans and are also associated with acute asthma and bronchial illness. Heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), a molecular chaperone, is an important host factor for the replication of single-strand RNA viruses. In the current study, we examined the effect of the Hsp90 inhibitor pochonin D, in vitro and in vivo, using a murine model of human rhinovirus type 1B (HRV1B) infection. Our data suggested that Hsp90 inhibition significantly reduced the inflammatory cytokine production and lung damage caused by HRV1B infection. The viral titer was significantly lowered in HRV1B-infected lungs and in Hela cells upon treatment with pochonin D. Infiltration of innate immune cells including granulocytes and monocytes was also reduced in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) by pochonin D treatment after HRV1B infection. Histological analysis of the lung and respiratory tract showed that pochonin D protected the mice from HRV1B infection. Collectively, our results suggest that the Hsp90 inhibitor, pochonin D, could be an attractive antiviral therapeutic for treating HRV infection.
Animals ; Asthma ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Common Cold ; Granulocytes ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; HeLa Cells ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lung ; Mice ; Molecular Chaperones ; Monocytes ; Respiratory System ; Rhinovirus* ; RNA Viruses

OBJECTIVES: Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the major cause of the common cold. Currently there is no registered, clinically effective, antiviral chemotherapeutic agent to treat diseases caused by HRVs. In this study, the antiviral activity of dexamethasone (DEX) against HRV1B was examined. METHODS: The anti–HRV1B activity of DEX was assessed by sulforhodamine B assay in HeLa cells, and by RT-PCR in the lungs of HRV1B-infected mice. Histological evaluation of HRV1B-infected lungs was performed and a histological score was given. Anti-HRV1B activity of DEX via the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR)-dependent autophagy activation was assessed by blocking with chloroquine diphosphate salt or bafilomycin A1 treatment. RESULTS: In HRV1B-infected HeLa cells, treatment with DEX in a dose-dependent manner, resulted in a cell viability of > 70% indicating that HRV1B viral replication was reduced by DEX treatment. HRV1B infected mice treated with DEX, had evidence of reduced inflammation and a moderate histological score. DEX treatment showed antiviral activity against HRV1B via GCR-dependent autophagy activation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that DEX treatment showed anti-HRV1B activity via GCR-dependent autophagy activation in HeLa cells and HRV1B infected mice. Further investigation assessing the development of topical formulations may enable the development of improved DEX effectiveness.
Animals ; Autophagy* ; Cell Survival ; Chloroquine ; Common Cold ; Dexamethasone* ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Mice ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; Rhinovirus*

Tipepidine hibenzate (Asverin) is commonly used as an antitussive drug for acute and chronic cough in various age groups and is generally safe and well-tolerated. However, we experienced a case of tipepidine hibenzate-induced anaphylactic shock in a 1-year-old boy. After ingesting cold medication including tipepidine hibenzate, the patient presented with generalized erythema and urticaria, swollen face, coughing, wheezing and vomiting, together with hypotension and a decreased level of consciousness. To identify the culprit drug, we performed skin prick tests (SPTs) and oral drug provocation tests (DPTs). SPTs revealed a negative reaction for all drugs, but DPTs caused a positive reaction only for a full therapeutic dose of tipepidine hibenzate. Physicians need to consider tipepidine hibezate as a culprit drug when anaphylaxis occurs after taking anticough or common cold medication.
Anaphylaxis ; Child ; Common Cold ; Consciousness ; Cough ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Erythema ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Upper respiratory infection (URI), including influenza, may exacerbate the symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG), which is an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness. There is also concern that the influenza vaccine may trigger or worsen autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of influenza infection and vaccination on symptom severity in MG patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with MG were enrolled from 10 university-affiliated hospitals between March and August 2015. Subjects completed a questionnaire at the first routine follow-up visit after enrolling in the study. The patient history was obtained to determine whether a URI had been experienced during the previous winter, if an influenza vaccination had been administered before the previous winter, and whether their MG symptoms were exacerbated during or following either a URI or vaccination. Influenza-like illness (ILI) was defined and differentiated from the common cold as a fever of ≥38℃ accompanied by a cough and/or a sore throat. RESULTS: Of the 258 enrolled patients [aged 54.1±15.2 years (mean±SD), 112 men, and 185 with generalized MG], 133 (51.6%) had received an influenza vaccination and 121 (46.9%) had experienced a common cold (96 patients) or ILI (25 patients) during the analysis period. MG symptoms were aggravated in 10 (40%) patients after ILI, whereas only 2 (1.5%) experienced aggravation following influenza vaccination. The rate of symptom aggravation was significantly higher in patients experiencing an ILI (10/25, 40%) than in those with the common cold (15/96, 15.6%, p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the potential risk of aggravating autoimmune disease is higher for ILI than for influenza vaccination, which further suggests that influenza vaccination can be offered to patients with MG.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Common Cold ; Cough ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human* ; Male ; Muscle Weakness ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Pharyngitis ; Vaccination*