CoughPhase 1NCT00127686
Effect of Honey and Dextromethorphan on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep
A Phase 1 study testing Dextromethorphan and Buckwheat Honey in people with Cough and Respiratory Tract Infections, run by Penn State University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Cough is the most common reason for an acute care doctor's visit in the United States. Cough can affect sleep for both coughing children and their parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse the use of dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter (OTC) cough medication because of a lack of… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 2 to 18 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Cough, Respiratory Tract Infections
- What is being tested?
- Dextromethorphan and Buckwheat Honey
- How many people
- 105 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2005to Dec 2006
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 2 to 18 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Ages 2 to <18 years
- Cough due to upper respiratory tract infection (URI), as determined by physical examination
- Sleep difficulty on the preceding night attributed to frequent cough
- Ability to swallow liquids
- Willingness of the child's guardian to participate in a survey
Who cannot join
- Signs/symptoms of more serious/treatable disease
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Frequent sneezing, tachypnea (respiratory rate >95th percentile) or labored breathing; symptoms for 8 or more days.
- History of asthma in the past 2 years
- Chronic lung disease, or seizure disorder
- Allergic reaction to honey or DM
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or anti-malarial drugs
- Diabetes mellitus or signs/symptoms of insulin resistance
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17545
About this study
Official title: Effect of Honey and Dextromethorphan on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents
Cough is the most common reason for an acute care doctor's visit in the United States. Cough can affect sleep for both coughing children and their parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse the use of dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter (OTC) cough medication because of a lack of efficacy data and some potential for toxicity, particularly when taken in excess. In fact, DM has previously been shown to be no better than a placebo for cough in children. Therefore, alternative, therapeutic agents are needed. Honey anecdotally provides relief for symptoms due to upper respiratory tract infection (URI). This study seeks to use a survey to evaluate whether a single dose of honey and/or DM is better than no treatment at all for controlling nocturnal cough in children with URI and the effect of the treatments on sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. A single dose of honey or DM will be superior to no treatment for control of nocturnal cough due to upper URI as rated by both parents and children and will improve the sleep quality for those children and parents. Compared to DM, honey will be superior for controlling nocturnal cough due to upper URI (also based on child and parental report).
Read the detailed description
Cough is one of the most common reasons for a doctor's visit in the United States and may be the most bothersome symptom for children with colds. It is particularly annoying at night because it can interrupt sleep for both coughing children and their parents. Dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter (OTC) "cough medication," may not be as helpful for these symptoms as previously believed. Because of this, treatments are needed to better reduce the symptoms from a cold. Honey is a naturally occurring substance that may provide relief for cold symptoms. Children are being offered the opportunity to take part in this research because they have been diagnosed with a cold and have had difficulty sleeping due to their cough.
The purpose of this research is to use a survey to see if a single dose of honey or DM is better than no treatment at all for controlling nighttime cough in children, ages 2 to less than 18 years with a cold and if the medicine or honey helps the quality of sleep for the coughing children and their parents. DM has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available over the counter. The form of honey used in this study may also be purchased without a doctor's prescription.
About 125 male and female children from 2 to less than 18 years old will take part in this study at the Hershey Medical Center.
- Conditions
- Cough, Respiratory Tract Infections
- Being tested
- Dextromethorphan, Buckwheat Honey
- Keywords
- cough, nocturnal cough, upper respiratory tract infection, sleep quality, childhood cough, Dextromethorphan, Honey
- Medical subject headings
- Cough, Respiratory Tract Infections, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DextromethorphanDrug
Buckwheat HoneyDrug
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Compared with no treatment, honey and DM will: improve the sleep quality for children with cough due to URI and improve the sleep quality for the parents of children with cough due to URI
Measured: 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Aug 2005 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2005
- Primary completionDec 2006
- Study completionDec 2006
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for CoughStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Penn State UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Double blind
- Enrolment
- 105 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Penn State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Honey Board
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Ian M Paul, MD, MSc, Principal investigator, Penn State College of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00127686
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 21163
- Status last verified
- Nov 2017
- First submitted
- 4 Aug 2005
- Last updated
- 24 Nov 2017
- Results posted
- No
Publications
Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, Duda L, Berlin CM Jr. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.161.12.1140.
PubMed 18056558
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Nov 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Honey and Dextromethorphan on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00127686
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 21163
- Conditions
- Cough, Respiratory Tract Infections
- Keywords
- cough, nocturnal cough, upper respiratory tract infection, sleep quality, childhood cough, Dextromethorphan, Honey
- Phase
- Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 105 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Penn State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Honey Board
- Study start
- Sep 2005
- Primary completion
- Dec 2006 (actual)
- Study completion
- Dec 2006 (actual)
- First posted
- 8 Aug 2005 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Cough is the most common reason for an acute care doctor's visit in the United States. Cough can affect sleep for both coughing children and their parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse the use of dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter (OTC) cough medication because of a lack of efficacy data and some potential for toxicity, particularly when taken in excess. In fact, DM has previously been shown to be no better than a placebo for cough in children. Therefore, alternative, therapeutic agents are needed. Honey anecdotally provides relief for symptoms due to upper respiratory tract infection (URI). This study seeks to use a survey to evaluate whether a single dose of honey and/or DM is better than no treatment at all for controlling nocturnal cough in children with URI and the effect of the treatments on sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. A single dose of honey or DM will be superior to no treatment for control of nocturnal cough due to upper URI as rated by both parents and children and will improve the sleep quality for those children and parents. Compared to DM, honey will be superior for controlling nocturnal cough due to upper URI (also based on child and parental report).
Detailed description
Cough is one of the most common reasons for a doctor's visit in the United States and may be the most bothersome symptom for children with colds. It is particularly annoying at night because it can interrupt sleep for both coughing children and their parents. Dextromethorphan (DM), the most common over-the-counter (OTC) "cough medication," may not be as helpful for these symptoms as previously believed. Because of this, treatments are needed to better reduce the symptoms from a cold. Honey is a naturally occurring substance that may provide relief for cold symptoms. Children are being offered the opportunity to take part in this research because they have been diagnosed with a cold and have had difficulty sleeping due to their cough.
The purpose of this research is to use a survey to see if a single dose of honey or DM is better than no treatment at all for controlling nighttime cough in children, ages 2 to less than 18 years with a cold and if the medicine or honey helps the quality of sleep for the coughing children and their parents. DM has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available over the counter. The form of honey used in this study may also be purchased without a doctor's prescription.
About 125 male and female children from 2 to less than 18 years old will take part in this study at the Hershey Medical Center.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- Double blind
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 2 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Ages 2 to <18 years
- Cough due to upper respiratory tract infection (URI), as determined by physical examination
- Sleep difficulty on the preceding night attributed to frequent cough
- Ability to swallow liquids
- Willingness of the child's guardian to participate in a survey
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Signs/symptoms of more serious/treatable disease
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Frequent sneezing, tachypnea (respiratory rate >95th percentile) or labored breathing; symptoms for 8 or more days.
- History of asthma in the past 2 years
- Chronic lung disease, or seizure disorder
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Dextromethorphan | Drug | – |
| Buckwheat Honey | Drug | – |
Primary outcome
Compared with no treatment, honey and DM will: improve the sleep quality for children with cough due to URI and improve the sleep quality for the parents of children with cough due to URI
Time frame: 1 year
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Nov 2017.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 18056558Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, Duda L, Berlin CM Jr. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.161.12.1140.
- Pediatric Clinical Research Office: Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ian M Paul, MD, MSc principal investigator
Penn State College of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 1 study testing Dextromethorphan and Buckwheat Honey in people with Cough and Respiratory Tract Infections, run by Penn State University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Nov 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Compared with no treatment, honey and DM will: improve the sleep quality for children with cough due to URI and improve the sleep quality for the parents of children with cough due to URI (time frame: 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00127686, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Nov 2017; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.