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. 2021 Sep 16;28(1):13–32. doi: 10.1111/jep.13614

Table 2.

Impact on symptoms: findings from meta‐analysis (green represents that studies suggest a positive benefit; red represents that studies do not suggest a positive benefit)

Covid‐19 symptoms reported Time reduction (days) (mean difference, 95% CI) Proportion of patients with symptom resolved ‐ overall 3M3F (risk ratio, 95% CI) Proportion of patients with symptom resolved ‐ LHQW (risk ratio, 95% CI) Proportion of patients with symptom resolved ‐ JHQG (risk ratio, 95% CI)
Fever –0.98 days [−1.78, −0.17] 1.38 [1.19. 1.61] 1.35 [1.14, 1.60] 1.51 [1.07, 2.14]
Cough 1.74 [1.31, 2.30] 1.90 [1.24, 2.90] 1.54 [0.97, 2.45]
Fatigue/tiredness 1.48 [1.18, 1.86] 1.51 [1.13, 2.00] 1.44 [0.98, 2.11]
Phlegm 1.97 [1.08, 3.61] 2.46 [0.81, 7.51] 1.85 [1.01, 3.38]
Short of breath 3.93 [1.89, 8.17] 3.93 [1.89, 8.17]
Chest tightness 2.00 [0.81, 4.96] 2.00 [0.81, 4.96]
Diarrhoea 1.09 [0.65, 1.82] 1.04 [0.42, 2.58] 1.11 [0.60, 2.07]
Nausea/vomiting 1.25 [0.82, 1.90] 1.34 [0.59, 3.06] 1.17 [0.69, 1.99]
Loss in appetite 0.63 [0.14, 2.84]

.04 [0.42, 2.58]

0.06 [0.00, 1.03]
Sore throat 1.35 [0.68, 2.70] 1.53 [0.38, 6.23] 1.30 [0.58, 2.87]
Headache 1.21 [0.83, 1.77] 1.29 [0.67, 2.46] 1.17 [0.73, 1.87]
Muscle pain 1.83 [1.02, 3.27] 1.83 [1.02, 3.27]
Block/running nose 1.00 [0.64, 1.57] 0.90 [0.53, 1.53] 1.31 [0.57, 3.05]