Table 3 Products advised by the pharmacists for a selected clinical symptoms of common cold

headache

paracetamol [329]

p > 0.05

acetylsalicylic acid [41]

magnesium metamizole [15]

inosines [140]

homeopathics [17]

herbal products [5]

pseudoephedrine [67]

alpha-mimetics [150]

anti-histamines [27]

mucolytics [78]

sore throat products [53]

fever

paracetamol [127]

for paracetamol with ascorbate acid and pheniramine maleate OR = 2.105, 95%CI 1.152–3.843; p = 0.022

acetylsalicylic acid [25]

for acetylsalicylic acid OR = 3.901, 95%CI 1.445–10.463; p = 0.009; for acetylsalicylic acid with phenylephrine HCL and chlorphenamine OR = 3.758, 95%CI 1.172–12.045; p = 0.04

magnesium metamizole [14]

for magnesium metamizole OR = 2.983, 95%CI 1.365–6.52; p = 0.008

inosines [68]

for inosines OR = 4.754, 95%CI 1.832–12.34; p = 0.001

homeopathics [14]

p > 0.05

herbal products [8]

pseudoephedrine [17]

alpha-mimetics [54]

anti-histamines [7]

mucolytics [49]

for ambroxol HCL OR = 2.664, 95%CI 1.353–5.242; p = 0.006

sore throat products [46]

for choline salicylate OR = 3.017, 95%CI 1.199–7.591, p = 0.028; for chlorchinaldol OR = 3.222, 95%CI 1.491–6.96, p = 0.004; for amylmetacresol with levomenthol and 2,4-dichlorobenzol OR = 3.677, 95%CI 1.515–8.933, p = 0.005

rhonorrhea

paracetamol [265]

for paracetamol with phenylephrine HCL OR = 8.036, 95%CI 3.154–20.477, p < 0.001

acetylsalicylic acid [28]

p > 0.05

magnesium metamizole [4]

inosines [90]

for inosines OR = 10.509, 95%CI 4.153–26.591, p < 0.001

homeopathics [13]

p > 0.05

herbal products [5]

pseudoephedrine [72]

alpha-mimetics [166]

for xylometazoline in nasal spray OR = 8.96, 95%CI 2.726–29.452, p < 0.001; for xylometazoline gel form OR = 4.366, 95%CI 2.508–7.603, p < 0.001

anti-histamines [28]

for fexofenadine HCL OR = 4.987, 95%CI 1.446–16.95, p = 0.009

mucolytics [52]

p > 0.05

sore throat products [41]

cough

paracetamol [185]

for paracetamol, ascorbic acid and phenylephrine HCL OR = 5.667, 95%CI 1.132–28.378, p = 0.046; for paracetamol, ascorbic acid and pheniramine maleate OR = 2.261, 95% CI 1.242–4.092, p = 0.01; for paracetamol, ascorbic acid and phenylephrine HCL OR = 4.515, 95%CI 1.821–11.196, p < 0.001; for paracetamol, phenylephrine HCL and ascorbic acid (in a form of tablets) OR = 2.771, 95%CI 1.292–5.945, p = 0.012

acetylsalicylic acid [27]

p > 0.05

magnesium metamizole [7]

inosines [81]

for inosines OR = 1.812, 95%CI1.175–2.794, p = 0.009

homeopathics [15]

p > 0.05

herbal products [3]

pseudoephedrine [14]

alpha-mimetics [53]

anti-histamines [14]

mucolytics [105]

for bromohexide HCL OR = 18.391, 95%CI 6.396–52.877, p < 0.001; of ambroxol HCL OR = 9.57, 95%CI 3.869–23.671, p < 0.001; of acetylcysteine OR = 8.527, 95%CI 2.822–25.759, p < 0.001

sore throat products [47]

for chlorchinaldol OR = 4.222, 95%CI 1.867–9.546, p < 0.001

fatigue

paracetamol [169]

for paracetamol with ascorbic acid and phenylephrine HCL OR = 3.378, 95%CI 1.431–7.979, p = 0.007; for paracetamol with phenylephrine HCL and ascorbic acid (in form of tablets) OR = 2.307, 95%CI 1.086–4.902, p = 0.043; for paracetamol with pseudoephedrine and dextromethorphan OR = 1.917, 95%CI 1.131–3.252, p = 0.021

acetylsalicylic acid [26]

for acetylsalicylic acid with pseudoephedrine OR = 3.831, 95%CI 1.263–11.62, p = 0.024; for acetylsalicylic acid with ascorbic acid OR = 3.041, 95% CI 1.136–8.141, p = 0.04

magnesium metamizole [5]

p > 0.05

inosines [73]

for inosines OR = 1.715, 95%CI 1.107–2.657, p = 0.021

homeopathics [12]

p > 0.05

herbal products [2]

pseudoephedrine [10]

alpha-mimetics [44]

anti-histamines [8]

mucolytics [50]

sore throat products [49]

for choline salicylate OR = 4.718, 95%CI 1.76–12.65, p = 0.002; for amylmetacresol with levomenthol and 2,4-dichlorobenzol OR = 3.517, 95%CI 1.428–8.664, p = 0.008