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Advising Patients To Increase Fluid Intake For Treating Acute Respiratory Infections, Michelle Guppy, Sharon Mickan, Chris Del Mar, Sarah Thorning

Sarah Thorning

Background
Acute respiratory infection is a common reason for people to present for medical care. Advice to increase fluid intake is a frequent treatment recommendation. Attributed benefits of fluids include replacing increased insensible fluid losses, correcting dehydration from reduced intake and reducing the viscosity of mucus. However, there are theoretical reasons for increased fluid intake to cause harm. Anti-diuretic hormone secretion is increased in lower respiratory tract infections of various aetiologies. This systematic examination of the evidence sought to determine the benefit versus harm from increasing fluid intake.

Objectives
To answer the following questions.
(1)Does recommending increased fluid intake as …