A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Evaluation of the efficacy of prednisolone in early wheezing induced by rhinovirus or respiratory syncytial virus




AuthorsJartti T., Lehtinen P., Vanto T., Hartiala J., Vuorinen T., Mäkelä M., Ruuskanen O.

Publication year2006

Journal:Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

Journal name in sourcePediatric Infectious Disease Journal

Volume25

Issue6

First page 482

Last page488

Number of pages7

ISSN0891-3668

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1097/01.inf.0000215226.69696.0c

Web address http://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id:33745009976


Abstract
BACKGROUND: The role of systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of early childhood wheezing in children is not clear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether prednisolone is effective in rhinovirus-induced early wheezing. METHODS: We conducted a controlled trial comparing oral prednisolone (2 mg/kg per day in three divided doses for 3 days) with placebo in 78 hospitalized children (mean age, 1.1 year; standard deviation, 0.7) experiencing their first or second episode of wheezing induced by rhinovirus or respiratory syncytial virus. Mixed viral infections were excluded. Our primary end point was the time until the patient was ready for discharge; secondary end points included oxygen saturation during hospitalization, duration of symptoms, occurrence of relapses during the next 2 months and blood eosinophil counts at discharge and 2 weeks later. RESULTS: In multivariate regression analysis, prednisolone did not influence the time until ready for discharge, but it decreased relapses during the subsequent 2-month period in rhinovirus-affected children (prednisolone versus placebo, 22% versus 56%; odds ratio, 19.06; 95% confidence interval, 2.52-144.03; P = 0.004) and in children with blood eosinophils ≥0.2 × 10/L (respectively, 24% versus 71%; odds ratio, 10.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.99-56.22; P = 0.006). Rhinovirus-affected children had more blood eosinophils on admission (mean, 0.44 versus 0.086 × 10/L), had a higher prevalence of atopy (44% versus 8%) and were older (mean, 1.4 versus 0.9 years, P < 0.001 for all) than respiratory syncytial virus-infected children. CONCLUSION: Prednisolone reduced relapses during a 2-month period after first episodes of wheezing associated with rhinovirus infection or blood eosinophils ≥0.2 × 10/L. Copyright © 2006 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.



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