Table 6.
Effectiveness of advice strategies for steam inhalation on other outcomes in patients with acute respiratory tract infections
| No steam | Steam | Adjusted* statistic (95% CI), P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crude mean (SD) temperature days 2-4 (n=439) | 36.6 (0.6) | 36.6 (0.6) | 0.05† (−0.05 to 0.16), 0.32 |
| Crude median (25-7th centile) duration of symptoms rated moderately bad or worse (n=722) | 4 (3 to 7) | 4 (3 to 7) | 1.04‡ (0.89 to 1.23), 0.61 |
| No (%) using antibiotic (n=736) | 232/393 (59) | 198/351 (56) | 0.90§ (0.74 to 1.06), 0.211 |
| No (%) reconsultation (with new or unresolved symptoms or complications within 1 month) | 69/453 (15) | 72/427 (17) | 1.10§ (0.79 to 1.51), 0.55 |
| No (%) who believe in effectiveness of antibiotics | 179/220 (81) | 149/185 (81) | 0.98§ (0.87 to 1.05), 0.61 |
| No (%) very satisfied with consultation | 135/154 (88) | 107/127 (84) | 0.95§ (0.79 to 1.05), 0.41 |
*Models all controlled for baseline symptom severity, dosing, steam, antibiotic prescribing, and smoking; duration model also controlled for previous duration of illness; temperature model also controlled for baseline temperature; model for return with unresolved symptoms also controlled for initial diagnosis. Denominators vary because of missing data.
†Adjusted difference.
‡Hazard ratio.
§Risk ratio.