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Meta-Analysis
. 2018 Jul 5:2018:1837634.
doi: 10.1155/2018/1837634. eCollection 2018.

Extra Dose of Vitamin C Based on a Daily Supplementation Shortens the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 9 Randomized Controlled Trials

Li Ran  1 , Wenli Zhao  1   2 , Jingxia Wang  3 , Hongwu Wang  4 , Ye Zhao  3   5 , Yiider Tseng  5 , Huaien Bu  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Extra Dose of Vitamin C Based on a Daily Supplementation Shortens the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 9 Randomized Controlled Trials

Li Ran et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Retraction in

Abstract

Aim: To investigate whether vitamin C is effective in the treatment of the common cold.

Method: After systematically searching the National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Elsevier, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP databases, and WANFANG databases, 9 randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in our meta-analysis in RevMan 5.3 software, all of which were in English.

Results: In the evaluation of vitamin C, administration of extra therapeutic doses at the onset of cold despite routine supplementation was found to help reduce its duration (mean difference (MD) = -0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-1.03, -0.10], and P = 0.02), shorten the time of confinement indoors (MD = -0.41, 95% CI [-0.62, -0.19], and P = 0.0002), and relieve the symptoms associated with it, including chest pain (MD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.77, -0.03], and P = 0.03), fever (MD = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.78, -0.11], and P = 0.009), and chills (MD = -0.36, 95% CI [-0.65, -0.07], and P = 0.01).

Conclusions: Extra doses of vitamin C could benefit some patients who contract the common cold despite taking daily vitamin C supplements.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study selection procedure. From [13]. For more information, visit www.prisma-statement.org.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of mean duration.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of nasal congestion or runny nose.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of sore throat.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of fever.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of aching limbs and muscles.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of chest pain.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of chills.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of mental depression.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Forest plot of the meta-analysis of indoor confinement.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Funnel plot of publication bias in the comparison of vitamin C versus placebo.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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