Antipyretic effect of dexamethasone in community-acquired pneumonia.

Abstract

The cornerstones of treatment for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy [1]. Despite prevention with vaccination, and optimal antibiotic treatment, CAP is associated with high mortality and morbidity and significant healthcare costs [2, 3]. Adjunctive therapy for CAP could help to reduce disease severity and, indeed, the addition of dexamethasone to antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalised with CAP has shown to reduce the length of hospital stay by 1 day [4]. Recent trials showed similar results [5, 6]. Antipyretic effect of dexamethasone in community-acquired pneumonia does not explain reduced length of hospital stay <http://ow.ly/LTcST> We acknowledge the substantial contribution of Douwe H. Biesma (Dept of Internal Medicine, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein and Dept of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Hans Hardeman (Dept of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands), Rik Heijligenberg (Dept of Internal Medicine, Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede, The Netherlands), Hilde H.F. Remmelts (Dept of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht and Dept of Internal Medicine, Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede, The Netherlands), Heleen van Velzen-Blad and G. Paul Voorn (both Dept of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands), to the original trial.