Zinc Gluconate Lozenges for Treating the Common Cold
Authors: Barry M. Farr
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1997)

Letters1 May 1997Zinc Gluconate Lozenges for Treating the Common ColdBarry M. Farr, MD, MSc, Frederick G. Hayden, MD, and Jack Gwaltney Jr., MDBarry M. Farr, MD, MScThe University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908Search for more papers by this author, Frederick G. Hayden, MDThe University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908Search for more papers by this author, and Jack Gwaltney Jr., MDThe University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-9-199705010-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:We believe that Mossad and colleagues' study of zinc therapy for colds [1] is flawed by the same bias that affected the original study by Eby and colleagues [2]. As previously discussed, placebos can have powerful supratentorial effects [3, 4]. The worse the taste and aftertaste, the stronger this effect may be. As did Mossad and associates, Eby and coworkers claimed that the placebo lozenges were identical in appearance and that the participants were well blinded; however, significantly more adverse effects occurred with zinc in both studies. Both studies used a relatively tasteless calcium lactate placebo for ...References1. Mossad SB, Macknin ML, Medendorp SV, Mason PM. Zinc gluconate lozenges for treating the common cold. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Ann Intern Med. 1996; 125:81-8. Google Scholar2. Eby GA, Davis DR, Halcomb WW. Reduction in duration of common colds by zinc gluconate lozenges in a double-blind study. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1984; 25:20-4. Google Scholar3. Farr BM, Gwaltney JM Jr. The problems of taste in placebo matching: zinc gluconate for the common cold. J Chronic Dis. 1987; 40:875-9. Google Scholar4. Farr BM, Conner EM, Betts RF, Oleske J, Minnefor A, Gwaltney JM Jr. Two randomized, controlled trials of zinc gluconate lozenge therapy of experimentally induced rhinovirus colds. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987; 31:1183-7. Google Scholar5. Geist FC, Bateman JA, Hayden FG. In vitro activity of zinc salts against human rhinoviruses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987; 31:622-4. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: The University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byViral Upper Respiratory InfectionViral Upper Respiratory InfectionViral Upper Respiratory InfectionZinc Potentiates the Antiviral Action of Human IFN- α TenfoldDuration of Symptoms and Plasma Cytokine Levels in Patients with the Common Cold Treated with Zinc Acetate A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled TrialAnanda S. Prasad, MD, PhD, James T. Fitzgerald, PhD, Bin Bao, MD, PhD, Frances W.J. Beck, PhD, and Pranatharthi H. Chandrasekar, MDLa declaración del conflicto de intereses en las publicaciones científicas. ¿Tiempo para las luces y los taquígrafos en la trastienda de la investigación financiada por la industria? 1 May 1997Volume 126, Issue 9Page: 738KeywordsCommon coldLactatesMucusNasal mucosaRespiratory physiologySalivaTasteUpper respiratory tract infectionsViral replicationZinc Issue Published: 1 May 1997 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1997 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...