A study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria, found that using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days. The ELVIS-Kids randomised controlled trial, presented by Professor Steve Cunningham from the University of Edinburgh, UK, also showed that these nasal drops can reduce the transmission of colds to family members. Children typically experience up to 10 to 12 upper respiratory tract infections, or colds, per year, impacting both them and their families. While there are medications to alleviate symptoms, there are no treatments that can make a cold resolve quicker.
Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam, Chief Investigator of the study, noted that salt-water solutions have been used for cold treatment in South Asia and wanted to explore if this practice could have clinical benefits in a larger study. The research team recruited 407 children up to the age of six to participate in the study. When they developed a cold, the children were either given hypertonic saline nasal drops or received usual care. The results showed that children using the salt-water nose drops experienced cold symptoms for an average of six days, compared to eight days for those receiving usual care. Additionally, children using the nasal drops required fewer medications during their illness.
The mechanism behind the effectiveness of salt-water nose drops lies in the chloride component of salt. Chloride is utilized by the cells lining the nose and windpipes to produce hypochlorous acid within cells, which aids in defending against viral infections. Providing additional chloride to these cells through the nose drops helps enhance the production of hypochlorous acid, which suppresses viral replication, thereby shortening the duration of the virus infection and reducing symptoms. Fewer households reported family members catching a cold when children used salt-water nose drops, as opposed to usual care (46% vs 61%).
Parents reported that the salt-water nose drops helped their children recover quicker, with 82% stating that it had a positive impact. Furthermore, 81% of parents expressed their willingness to use nose drops for future cold episodes. Professor Cunningham highlighted the importance of reducing the duration of colds in children, as it leads to fewer household members falling ill, thus facilitating a quicker return to daily activities such as school and work. The study also demonstrated that parents can safely prepare and administer the nose drops to their children, giving them some level of control over managing their child’s cold symptoms.
Professor Alexander Möeller, Head of the ERS Paediatric Assembly and Department for Respiratory Medicine at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, praised the study as an important contribution that offers a simple and cost-effective intervention for managing cold symptoms in children. He emphasized the potential of salt-water nose drops to be widely accessible globally, providing parents with a safe and effective means to reduce the impact of colds on their children and families. The study also revealed that children who received the nose drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheezing during colds, indicating a potential benefit in reducing other cold-related symptoms.
The research team intends to delve further into the impact of saltwater nose drops on wheezing during colds, building on the initial findings that showed a reduction in wheezing episodes among children using the drops. By expanding the scope of their investigation, they aim to gain a deeper understanding of how salt-water nasal drops can benefit children with colds beyond symptom duration. Overall, the study underscores the potential of this simple and accessible intervention in alleviating the burden of colds on children and their families, offering a promising avenue for improving health outcomes and reducing the economic strain associated with this widespread condition.