• 1. Chinese Cochrane Center; West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Chengdu; 610041; China2. Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology (Ministry of Health; China); Sichuan University3. West China Medicine school; Sichuan University;
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Objectives  Re-evaluation the clinical evidence of. anti-virus medicines for virosis communicable respiratory disease on the effectiveness, safety and health economy.
Methods  To search CL (2003 Issue 1), Medline (1966-2003.5), CCOHTA, SBU, NICE and NCCHTA and collect all CSRs and HTA with computer . The quality of evaluation partly based on QUOROM will be done before results analysed. If heterogeneity does not exist in CSRs and HTA, a Meta-analysis will be re-conducted.
Results  4 CSRs (38 RC, n=22 835) and 5 HTA (28 RCT, n=139 281) were included. Due to the significant heterogeneity between these studies, further Meta-analysis could not be conducted, and descri ptive conclusions were conducted only.
Conclusions  Neuraminidase inhibitors (zanamivir and oseltamivir) are more effective than placebo in reducing the duration of symptoms of patients with basic disease, and have limited effectiveness in health adults. But, both are well tolerated and reduce the rate of contracting influenza in all individuals. For prevention, neuraminidase inhibitors cost more and are not suitable as first-line drug. 2. Diamantane is more effective than placebo in reducing the duration of having fever, and effectively prevents the influenza A. Amantadine and rimantadine have comparable effectiveness in the prevention, although rimantadine induces fewer adverse effects than amantadine. 3. The number of the childrenpatients of upper respiratory tract infection prevented and treated by ribavirin is too small to draw any conculsion now.

Citation: CAI Yujia,SUN Xin,LI Youping,XU Juan,TANG Guangmin,MA Tao,LI Xia,LU Jun. Evidence based evaluation of anti - virus medicines for virosis communicable respiratory disease. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2003, 03(2): 121-127. doi: Copy