Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- acute onset
- rhinitis
- sore throat
- sneezing
- postnasal drainage/drip
- cough
- fever
- nonspecific red pharynx
- nasal mucosal edema/erythema
- purulent drainage in nares and posterior pharynx
- pulse <100 bpm; no hypotension
Risk factors
- exposure to affected individuals
- young age
- winter season
- daycare attendance
- exposure to cigarette smoke or other respiratory irritants
Diagnostic investigations
Investigations to consider
- CBC
- throat swab
- sputum culture
- heterophile antibody test
- C-reactive protein (CRP)
- chest x-ray
- sinus CT scan
- viral testing
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors
Professor
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care
University of Auckland
Auckland
New Zealand
Disclosures
BA is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Associate Professor of Integrated Care
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care
University of Auckland
Auckland
New Zealand
Disclosures
TK is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Peer reviewers
Senior Research Fellow
Division of Community Health Sciences
St. George's University of London
London
UK
Disclosures
CC declares that he has no competing interests.
Professor
Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine
Bond University
Queensland
Australia
Disclosures
CDM declares that he has no competing interests.
Associate Professor
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care
Ghent University
Belgium
Disclosures
ADS declares that she has no competing interests.
Mary Lowell Leary Endowed Professor
General Internal Medicine
Paediatrics
Mayo Clinic
Rochester
MN
Disclosures
GP has no competing interests in regards to the common cold. He does consult with a variety of manufacturers and performs research studies related to influenza, founded by vaccine manufacturers, none of which involves virus related to the common cold.
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Director
Intensive Care Unit
Weiler Division/Montefiore Medical Center
Bronx
NY
Disclosures
PD has served as a consultant to Reckitt Benckiser, Procter & Gamble, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Glaxo SmithKline, and Boehringer Ingelheim.
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