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  1. Effect of Vitamin C supplements on respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    Keya TA, Leela A, Fernandez K, Habib N, Rashid M
    Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol, 2021 Dec 30.
    PMID: 34967304 DOI: 10.2174/2772432817666211230100723
    BACKGROUND: Respiratory tract infections are a primary cause of illness and mortality over the world.

    OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation in preventing and treating respiratory tract infections.

    METHODS: We used the Cochrane, PubMed, and MEDLINE Ovid databases to conduct our search. The inclusion criteria were placebo-controlled trials. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to measure the pooled effects of vitamin C supplementation on the incidence, severity, and duration of respiratory illness.

    RESULTS: We found ten studies that met our inclusion criteria out of a total of 2758. The pooled risk ratio (RR) of developing respiratory illness when taking vitamin C regularly across the study period was 0⸳94 (with a 95% confidence interval of 0⸳87 to 1⸳01) which found that supplementing with vitamin C lowers the occurrence of illness. This effect, however, was statistically insignificant (P= 0⸳09). This study showed that vitamin C supplementation had no consistent effect on the severity of respiratory illness (SMD 0⸳14, 95% CI -0⸳02 to 0⸳30: I2 = 22%, P=0⸳09). However, our study revealed that vitamin C group had a considerably shorter duration of respiratory infection (SMD -0⸳36, 95% CI -0⸳62 to -0⸳09, P = 0⸳01).

    CONCLUSION: Benefits of normal vitamin C supplementation for reducing the duration of respiratory tract illness were supported by our meta-analysis findings. Since few trials have examined the effects of therapeutic supplementation, further research is needed in this area.

  2. COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations
    Alrabadi N, Bany-Melhem S, Alzoubi KH, Alzoubi OO, Masadeh M, Abuhammad S, et al.
    Curr Rev Clin Exp Pharmacol, 2022 May 12.
    PMID: 35549859 DOI: 10.2174/2772432817666220512112913
    Vaccines are important to improve immunity against pathogens and diseases. The current COVID-19 disease is rapidly evolving and spreading among people; therefore, it is important to utilize a proper vaccination strategy against it. Currently, many approved vaccines are available and accessible; however, there is a reported hesitancy against taking them among the public and even the health care workers. Mainly, this is attributed to the fear of the possible side effects and complications. Moreover, inaccurate knowledge disseminated through the media/social media especially by those who lack proper expertise adds confusion and more fear that affects the vaccination decision. For such reasons, it is essential to find strategies to increase the acceptability of vaccines and to enhance confidence in the vaccination process. This should be accompanied by sufficient efforts and proper clinical studies to confirm the value and the safety of the vaccines. Those strategies are important to avoid the further spread of the COVID-19 disease and to abort the pandemic worldwide, especially when considering the likely approach towards a COVID-19 booster vaccination program, in which booster vaccines are re-taken along intervals to adequately contain the rapidly evolving nature of the virus. This review article highlights the factors influencing the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccination and enrollment in clinical trials among the public and some specific populations. Furthermore, it summarizes the suggested strategies and recommendations that can improve the attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination programs.
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