Shah C P, Chipman M L, Pizzarello L D
J Otolaryngol. 1976 Dec;5(6):505-12.
We reviewed reports of the incidence, duration, causative organism, sequelae, and cost of upper respiratory tract infections (URI). Using these data, we projected the extent and cost of URI in Canadian children from birth to age 14. We estimated that in 1973, some 6.2 million Canadian children suffered between 23.8 and 42.3 million episodes of URI, of which 5.6 million needed medical attention; approximately 215,300 children were admitted to hospital for treatment of URI-related diseases and utilized 742,800 hospital days. Some direct costs were estimated, including physicians' fees, hospitalization, antibiotics, "cold remedies", and pharmacists' prescription fees; in 1973 these ranged from $141 million to $211 million. The common cold is as common as its name implies, and we need to intensify the search for a solution. Until this is found, both medical profession and the public should be warned of the uselessness, and possible hazards of some of the "remedies" for colds, and made aware of the vast amounts of money expended upon them.
我们查阅了有关上呼吸道感染（URI）的发病率、病程、致病微生物、后遗症及费用的报告。利用这些数据，我们预测了加拿大从出生到14岁儿童的URI发病范围及费用。我们估计，1973年，约620万加拿大儿童经历了2380万至4230万次URI发作，其中560万次需要医疗护理；约215300名儿童因URI相关疾病住院治疗，住院天数达742800天。我们估算了一些直接费用，包括医生诊疗费、住院费、抗生素费用、“感冒药”费用以及药剂师处方费；1973年这些费用在1.41亿至2.11亿美元之间。普通感冒正如其名一样常见，我们需要加紧寻找解决办法。在找到解决办法之前，应告诫医学界和公众，某些感冒“疗法”不仅无用，还可能存在危害，并让他们意识到在这些疗法上花费的巨额资金。
