Effectiveness of Currently Available Symptomatic Antitussives Against Acute Cough

3 Effectiveness of Currently Available Symptomatic Antitussives Against Acute Cough 

The lack of effectiveness of dextromethorphan or the antihistamine diphenhydramine as compared with a placebo in children with upper respiratory tract infection is particularly important (Korppi et al. 1991 Taylor et al. 1993 Smith and Feldman, 1993 Schroeder and Fahey, 2004 West et al. 1975 Hutton et al. 1991 Clemens et al. 1997). This has been confirmed in a study of 100 children where dextormethorphan or diphenhydramine given as a single dose before bedtime was 

Drug Authors n Cough score Cough count 

Codeine (60 mg once) Freestone and Eccles (1997) 80 No effect No effect 

Dextrometorphan (30 mg once) Lee et at. (2000) 44 Placebo = drug effect Placebo = drug effect ( 50% effect) 

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