Despite the fact that this meta-analysis was published in 2005, the editors of the site deemed it appropriate to place it in the "News" section, as probably the first recommendation of all therapists and pediatricians in USA with acute respiratory infections is advice on increasing the amount of liquid.

Acute respiratory infections are the most common cause of medical consultation. As previously believed, drinking more fluid during acute respiratory viral infections is very helpful, which is associated with replenishing fluid loss at high temperatures and intoxication, correcting dehydration due to reduced fluid intake with food and decreased viscosity of mucus. At the same time, there are theoretical assumptions that an increase in fluid intake can harm the human body. In lower respiratory tract infections of various etiologies, the secretion of antidiuretic hormone increases. By itself, the antidiuretic hormone retains fluid in the body, stimulating reabsorption in the renal tubules, which increases considerably with acute respiratory infections.

A meta-analysis by Australian authors compared the benefits and harms of increased fluid intake in acute respiratory infections. The purpose of the meta-analysis was to answer three main questions:

Search for relevant studies (randomized controlled trials to assess increased fluid intake in patients with acute respiratory infections) was done in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2005), MEDLINE databases (1966 - July 2005), EMBASE (1974 - 2005), Current Contents (last 5 years) and CINAHL (1982 - July 2005), as well as in references in articles on relevant subjects.

A meta-analysis did not reveal a single randomized controlled trial dedicated to this problem.

The authors of the meta-analysis conclude that there is currently no evidence or arguments against the recommendation to consume more fluid in acute respiratory infections, because until 2005 the effectiveness and safety of this recommendation have not been studied in clinical trials. Some non-experimental (observational) studies suggest that increased fluid intake during acute respiratory infections may be harmful. To determine the real impact of this very common medical advice on ARI, randomized controlled trials are necessary.