Treatment of young children with recurrent acute ­respiratory tract infections with a herbal combination of thyme herb and ivy leaf

Zusammenfassung

Die Behandlung rezidivierender akuter Infektionen der Atemwege bei Kindern mit einem Kombinationspräparat aus Thymiankraut und Efeublättern

Rezidivierende akute Infektionen der Atemwege bei Kindern können zur späteren ­Entwicklung chronisch obstruktiver Erkrankungen oder Asthma beitragen. Neben einer Therapie mit den üblicherweise verordneten Antibiotika suchen Eltern betroffener Kinder mit steigendem Interesse auch nach Unterstützung durch pflanzliche Arznei­mittel. In einer offenen, prospektiven, randomisierten Kohortenstudie wurde bei Kindern mit rezidivierenden akuten viralen Atemwegsinfekten die Anwendung der Stan­dardmedikation mit und ohne zusätzlicher Gabe der Kombination von Thymiankraut und Efeublättern in Bronchipret^® untersucht. Innerhalb von einer Woche führte die zusätzliche Anwendung des Phytopharmakons zu einer schnelleren und bei der Visite an den Tagen 2 oder 3 signifikanten (p < 0,05) Verbesserung der objektiven Symptomatik, wie u. a. ­ersichtlich an der Häufigkeit von 12,1 vs. 18,3 Hustenattacken pro Tag oder dem Anteil von 89 vs. 46 % von Patienten mit produktivem Husten. Die Verbesserung dieser und anderer Parameter bei einer sehr guten Verträglichkeit lassen unter dem Vorbehalt der Studienmethodik eine Anwendung der Kombination als Zusatztherapie bei Kindern befürworten.

Summary

Recurrent acute respiratory tract infections in children are a common concern as they may pave the way to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma. Parents of affected patients seek advice on therapy for their children beyond the use of antibiotics alone with an increasing interest in herbal treatments. A fixed herbal combination of thyme herb and ivy leaf, Bronchipret^®, was investigated in an open-label, prospective, randomized, parallel-group study as add-on therapy to standard medication in children with recurrent acute viral respiratory tract infections. During 1 week of treatment, there was a faster improvement of objective symptoms in the group with the herbal combination with significant differences (p < 0.05) at visit 2 (3–4 days after onset of therapy) as compared to the control group with standard medication only, exemplarily seen for the number of coughing fits per day 12.1 vs. 18.3 or the rate of patients with productive cough 89 vs. 46 %. Under respect of the limitations of the study design the effects on these parameters and an excellent tolerability favour the use of this combination as add-on therapy in the paediatric population.

Schlüsselwörter

Rezidivierende akute Infektionen der Atemwege - Husten - Pädiatrie - Phytotherapie - offene Studie - Bronchipret^®

Keywords

Acute respiratory tract infections - cough - paediatrics - herbal therapy - open study - Bronchipret^®

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