Prednisolone-treated Group Research Articles

Ameliorative Potential of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Versus Prednisolone in a Rat Model of Lung Fibrosis: A Histological, Immunohistochemical, and Biochemical Study.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease of unknown origin with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. The encouraging findings from preclinical investigations utilizing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) indicated that they could serve as a promising therapeutic alternative for managing chronic lung conditions, such as IPF. The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) versus prednisolone, the standard anti-inflammatory medication, in rats with bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis. Four groups were created: a control group, a BLM group, a prednisolone-treated group, and a BM-MSCs-treated group. To induce lung fibrosis, 5 mg/kg of BLM was administered intratracheally. BLM significantly increased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. The disturbed lung structure was also revealed by light and transmission electron microscopic studies. Upregulation in the immune expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor beta-1, and Bax was demonstrated. Interestingly, all findings significantly regressed on treatment with prednisolone and BM-MSCs. However, treatment with BM-MSCs showed better results than with prednisolone. In conclusion, BM-MSCs could be a promising approach for managing lung fibrosis.

Naringenin modifies T-helper responses and macrophage activities in BALB/c mice.

Naringenin is a naturally occurring flavonoid found in citrus fruits. This study was done to compare the oral immunomodulatory effects of naringenin and prednisolone. The effect of one-month oral administration of naringenin (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) and prednisolone (2 mg/kg) on peritoneal macrophage was compared in the first set of experiments. Separate evaluations were conducted on the effects of naringenin on in vivo and ex vivoT-helper (Th) lymphocyte responses and their subsets in mice immunized with ovalbumin (OVA). Animals challenged with OVA received oral doses of naringenin or prednisolone from two days prior to immunization to 28 days after immunization. Naringenin and prednisolone increased macrophages' respiratory burst, and nitric oxide and interleukin (IL)-10 production while decreasing IL-12 production. Macrophages isolated from mice administered with 40 mg/kg naringenin had greater phagocytic potential than those isolated from mice administered with prednisolone. OVA-challenged mice treated with 40 mg/kg naringenin or prednisolone had decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity comparable to control mice.The splenocyte proliferation index was lower in the prednisolone-treated group than the naringenin-treated group, even at 40 mg/kg. In the splenocyte cultures, both agents decreased T-bet expression. Naringenin, in contrast to prednisolone, did not affect GATA3expression. The 40 mg/kg naringenin dose reduced RORγt more effectively than prednisolone. All these findings indicate the potential of naringenin as a modifying agent of immune responses. Consequently, naringenin may be beneficial in controlling some immunopathological conditions.

FKBP5 gene expression in skeletal muscle as a potential biomarker for illegal glucocorticoid treatment in veal calves

For the current European legislation, the chemical analysis of drug residues is the exclusive accepted method to identify animals illicitly treated with growth promoters. Glucocorticoids and their metabolites are no detectable by LC/MS-MS methods in biological fluids when the growth promoter administration is discontinued several days prior to the slaughtering. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect on the expression of genes belonging to the glucocorticoid pathway in three types of skeletal muscle of calves treated with prednisolone or dexamethasone in combination with estradiol. A gene expression change of glucocorticoid receptors (NR3C1 and NR3C2), their chaperones molecules (FKBP prolyl isomerase 4 and 5, FKBP4 and 5) and pre-receptor system (hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenases 1 and 2, HSD11B1 and 2) may indicate potential biomarkers of glucocorticoid treatment. In the biceps brachii muscle, the administration of dexamethasone with estradiol increased HSD11B2 (P < 0.01) and NR3C2 (P < 0.01) gene expression, whereas prednisolone administration increased HSD11B1 transcript levels (P < 0.05). In the longissimus lumborum muscle, NR3C2 gene expression decreased following prednisolone administration (P < 0.05). FKBP5 gene expression decreased in all considered muscles of calves administered with dexamethasone and estradiol (P < 0.01), whereas increased in the longissimus lumborum (P < 0.01) and vastus lateralis (P < 0.05) muscle of prednisolone-treated group (P < 0.05). The opposite effect of dexamethasone and prednisolone appears very promising to develop a low-cost screening test, because the expression analysis of a unique gene in a given tissue may distinguish the dispensed molecules.

Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course low-dose oral prednisolone in pityriasis rosea

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course low-dose oral prednisolone in symptomatic pityriasis rosea (PR) of onset <5 days and compare it with placebo.Material and methods: Placebo-controlled randomized double-blind study design with the treatment group receiving tapering doses of oral prednisolone over 2 weeks and the control group receiving a placebo. Outcome measures evaluated were subsidence of patient-perceived pruritus, improvement in rash quantified by a specific score, adverse effects and relapse at 12 weeks.Results: The improvement in the pruritus score as well as objective rash score were much better in the prednisolone-treated group. No adverse effects reported in either group. The relapse rate at 12 weeks was much higher in the prednisolone treated group.Conclusions: Oral corticosteroids, even if used in low-dose and for a short tapering course should not be the first line of therapy for PR. The only justified indication may be extensive and highly symptomatic lesions of PR.

The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of STeroids Or Pentoxifylline for Alcoholic Hepatitis (STOPAH): a 2 × 2 factorial randomised controlled trial.

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a distinct presentation of alcoholic liver disease arising in patients who have been drinking to excess for prolonged periods, which is characterised by jaundice and liver failure. Severe disease is associated with high short-term mortality. Prednisolone and pentoxifylline (PTX) are recommended in guidelines for treatment of severe AH, but trials supporting their use have given heterogeneous results and controversy persists about their benefit. The aim of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of STeroids Or Pentoxifylline for Alcoholic Hepatitis trial was to resolve the clinical dilemma on the use of prednisolone or PTX. The trial was a randomised, double-blind, 2 × 2 factorial, multicentre design. Sixty-five gastroenterology and hepatology inpatient units across the UK. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of AH who had a Maddrey's discriminant function value of ≥ 32 were randomised into four arms: A, placebo/placebo; B, placebo/prednisolone; C, PTX/placebo; and D, PTX/prednisolone. Of the 5234 patients screened for the trial, 1103 were randomised and after withdrawals, 1053 were available for primary end-point analysis. Those allocated to prednisolone were given 40 mg daily for 28 days and those allocated to PTX were given 400 mg three times per day for 28 days. The primary outcome measure was mortality at 28 days. Secondary outcome measures included mortality or liver transplant at 90 days and at 1 year. Rates of recidivism among survivors and the impact of recidivism on mortality were assessed. At 28 days, in arm A, 45 of 269 (16.7%) patients died; in arm B, 38 of 266 (14.3%) died; in arm C, 50 of 258 (19.4%) died; and in arm D, 35 of 260 (13.5%) died. For PTX, the odds ratio for 28-day mortality was 1.07 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77 to 1.40; p = 0.686)] and for prednisolone the odds ratio was 0.72 (95% CI 0.52 to 1.01; p = 0.056). In the logistic regression analysis, accounting for indices of disease severity and prognosis, the odds ratio for 28-day mortality in the prednisolone-treated group was 0.61 (95% CI 0.41 to 0.91; p = 0.015). At 90 days and 1 year there were no significant differences in mortality rates between the treatment groups. Serious infections occurred in 13% of patients treated with prednisolone compared with 7% of controls (p = 0.002). At the 90-day follow-up, 45% of patients reported being completely abstinent, 9% reported drinking within safety limits and 33% had an unknown level of alcohol consumption. At 1 year, 37% of patients reported being completely abstinent, 10% reported drinking within safety limits and 39% had an unknown level of alcohol consumption. Only 22% of patients had attended alcohol rehabilitation treatment at 90 days and 1 year. We conclude that prednisolone reduces the risk of mortality at 28 days, but this benefit is not sustained beyond 28 days. PTX had no impact on survival. Future research should focus on interventions to promote abstinence and on treatments that suppress the hepatic inflammation without increasing susceptibility to infection. This trial is registered as EudraCT 2009-013897-42 and Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN88782125. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 19, No. 102. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. The NIHR Clinical Research Network provided research nurse support and the Imperial College Biomedical Research Centre also provided funding.

Clinical efficacy of a short course of systemic steroids in nasal polyposis

Although oral steroids are widely used for the treatment of nasal polyposis, a subset of patients shows an unfavorable therapeutic outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisolone in nasal polyposis and to evaluate which, if any, clinical variables can predict treatment outcome in these patients. Using a 3:2 randomization ratio, 63 patients with nasal polyposis received 50 mg of prednisolone and 46 patients received placebo daily for 14 days. Clinical response was evaluated by total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), peak expiratory flow index (PEFI) and total nasal polyps score (TNPS). Potential predictor variables were assessed by clinical history, nasal endoscopy, allergy skin test and sinus radiography. The prednisolone-treated group showed significantly greater improvements in all nasal symptoms, nasal flow and polyp size than the placebo-treated group (p < 0.001, all). In the prednisolone-treated group, patients with grade 3 polyps and positive nasal endoscopy showed significantly less improvement in TNSS, PEFI and TNPS than patients with grades 1-2 size and with negative nasal endoscopy. A short course of oral steroids showed good clinical efficacy in the treatment of nasal polyposis, however, polyps size grade 3 and/or positive nasal endoscopy predispose to a poorer treatment outcome.

Long‐Term Effect of Prednisolone on Functional Blink Recovery after Transient Peripheral Facial Motor Paralysis

To determine the functional recovery in patients with severe transient peripheral facial motor paralysis (Bell palsy). Prospective controlled trial. Academic medical center. Blink recovery was studied in 2 groups of severely affected Bell palsy patients during a follow-up period of 84 weeks. The patients in one group received prednisolone within the first week after the onset of symptoms. No medication was given to the other group. A control group of healthy subjects was also included. Simultaneous orbicularis oculi muscle activity and eyelid kinematics were recorded by surface electromyographic (EMG) recording and eyelid search coils, respectively. At the beginning of the paralysis, very little integrated orbicularis oculi muscle activity and eyelid movement was measured at the palsied side of the face. Thirteen weeks later, the integrated orbicularis oculi EMG and functional blink recovery gradually improved until 39 weeks. Beyond, only the integrated orbicularis oculi EMG slightly increased. At 84 weeks, the integrated orbicularis oculi EMG was significantly larger in the prednisolone group compared with the control group. The integrated EMG of the nonmedicated group recovered to normal values. Curiously enough, the functional blink recovery at the palsied side remained reduced to 64% compared with the healthy controls in the prednisolone-treated group and to 36% in the nonmedicated group. The authors demonstrate that prednisolone significantly increased the orbicularis oculi muscle activity and significantly improved functional blink recovery in severely affected Bell palsy patients. However, the increase of muscle activity was insufficient to restore functional blinking to normal values.

Durezol® (Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion 0.05%) Compared with Pred Forte® 1% Ophthalmic Suspension in the Treatment of Endogenous Anterior Uveitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of difluprednate ophthalmic solution 0.05% (Durezol; Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX) compared with prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension 1% (Pred Forte; Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA) for endogenous anterior uveitis. In this phase 3, multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, 90 patients with endogenous anterior uveitis [>10 anterior chamber (AC) cells and an AC flare score of ≥2 in at least 1 eye] received either difluprednate 4x /day (QID) (n=50) or prednisolone 8x/day (n=40) for 14 days, followed by a 2-week tapering regimen. The main outcome measure was change from baseline in AC cell grade on day 14. At day 14, mean AC cell grade improvement for difluprednate-treated patients was similar to prednisolone-treated patients (2.1 vs. 1.9, respectively), proving noninferiority. At day 14, 68.8% of difluprednate patients had AC cell clearing (grade 0:≥ 1cell) compared with 61.5% of prednisolone patients. In the prednisolone-treated group, 12.5% of patients were withdrawn because of investigator-determined lack of efficacy; no difluprednate-treated patients were withdrawn for this reason (P=0.01). Clinically significant intraocular pressure elevation occurred in 3 difluprednate-treated patients (6.0%) and 2 prednisolone-treated patients (5.0%). Difluprednate administered QID is at least as effective as prednisolone administered 8x/day in resolving the inflammation and pain associated with endogenous anterior uveitis. Difluprednate provides effective treatment for anterior uveitis and requires less frequent dosing than prednisolone acetate. Trial NCT00501579 was registered at the National Institutes of Health Registry in July 2007 ( http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00501579?term=sirion&rank=4 ).

Acute viral myocarditis: role of immunosuppression: a prospective randomised study

To conduct a prospective randomised study to show the efficacy of immune suppression with prednisolone, administered at the 3-month duration of acute myocarditis. The diagnosis of acute viral myocarditis was made based on echocardiography and serum viral antibodies. The inclusion criterion was acute myocarditis of 3 months duration. In all, 68 of 173 children were available for randomisation into a prednisolone-treated group of 44 and a control group of 24 children. The follow-up period in the prednisolone-treated group was 15.1 plus or minus 9.2 months and 13.6 plus or minus 10.6 months for the control group. Compared with controls, 1 month after randomisation significantly more children in the prednisolone-treated group increased their ejection fraction to more than 40% (p = 0.029). Discrete analysis of change in the ejection fraction from the one at randomisation to one after 1 month of randomisation of greater than 10% and less than 10% or no change between groups showed a significantly greater number with improvement in the prednisolone-treated group (p = 0.019). At the end of the follow-up visits, a significantly larger number of children in the prednisolone-treated group had an ejection fraction of more than 60% compared with the control group (p = 0.049). It is concluded that immune suppression with prednisolone, administered at 3 months of the onset of acute myocarditis, is effective in significantly bringing about improvement and cure in persistent left ventricular failure.

Prednisolone prevents transient ischemia-induced cochlear damage in gerbils

Conclusions. Prednisolone protects against inner ear damage, even when administered after ischemic injury in Mongolian gerbils. Objective. The effect of prednisolone on ischemia-induced cochlear damage was investigated in Mongolian gerbils. Materials and methods. The bilateral vertebral arteries were occluded for 15 min to transiently induce cochlear ischemia, followed by an intraperitoneal injection of prednisolone (1 mg/kg) or physiological saline (control). Sequential changes in hearing were evaluated by recording the auditory brainstem response (ABR) before and at 1, 4, and 7 days after treatment. In our histologic analysis, the numbers of dead and intact inner hair cells (IHCs) were counted in specimens stained with rhodamine-phalloidin. Results. In control animals, transient ischemia increased the ABR threshold (24.2±8.6 dB) within 7 days of treatment, whereas prednisolone-treated animals exhibited a threshold of 14.2±9.2 dB. Furthermore, the percent IHC loss at the basal turn of the cochlea was 26.5±11.4% in control animals compared with 5.3±3.0% in the prednisolone-treated group.

Short course of systemic corticosteroids in sinonasal polyposis: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with evaluation of outcome measures

Background Topical and systemic corticosteroids are the first choice in medical treatments for sinonasal polyposis, but surprisingly, there is no high-level evidence for the efficacy of oral corticosteroids. Objective The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisolone in ameliorating the symptoms of sinonasal polyposis, as well as reducing mucosal inflammation assessed by means of nasendoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A secondary aim was to evaluate the relationship between outcome measures. Methods Subjects with symptomatic endoscopically diagnosed sinonasal polyposis received 50 mg of prednisolone daily for 14 days or placebo. Outcome was quantified by using the modified 31-item Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure questionnaire, physician's assessment, nasendoscopy with photography, and MRI. Results There were 20 subjects in each treatment group. Only the prednisolone-treated group showed significant improvement in nasal symptoms (P Conclusion This trial clearly establishes clinically significant improvement in the symptoms and pathology of sinonasal polyposis with a short course of systemic corticosteroids. MRI scanning and quantitative nasendoscopic photography are objective and valid tools for assessing the outcome of treatment in this condition. Clinical implications A 14-day course of 50 mg of prednisolone is safe and effective therapy for symptomatic nasal polyposis.

Short course of systemic corticosteroids in sinonasal polyposis: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with evaluation of outcome measures

Topical and systemic corticosteroids are the first choice in medical treatments for sinonasal polyposis, but surprisingly, there is no high-level evidence for the efficacy of oral corticosteroids. The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisolone in ameliorating the symptoms of sinonasal polyposis, as well as reducing mucosal inflammation assessed by means of nasendoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A secondary aim was to evaluate the relationship between outcome measures. Subjects with symptomatic endoscopically diagnosed sinonasal polyposis received 50 mg of prednisolone daily for 14 days or placebo. Outcome was quantified by using the modified 31-item Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure questionnaire, physician's assessment, nasendoscopy with photography, and MRI. There were 20 subjects in each treatment group. Only the prednisolone-treated group showed significant improvement in nasal symptoms (P < .001). The Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure score improved in both groups, but the prednisolone-treated group had significantly greater improvement than the placebo group (P < .001). Objectively, there was significant reduction in polyp size, as noted with nasendoscopy (P < .001) and MRI (P < .001), only in the prednisolone-treated group. The outcome measures correlated with each other; the highest level of correlation was between the objective measures of nasendoscopy and MRI (R(2) = 0.76, P < .001). There were no significant adverse events. This trial clearly establishes clinically significant improvement in the symptoms and pathology of sinonasal polyposis with a short course of systemic corticosteroids. MRI scanning and quantitative nasendoscopic photography are objective and valid tools for assessing the outcome of treatment in this condition. A 14-day course of 50 mg of prednisolone is safe and effective therapy for symptomatic nasal polyposis.

Placebo-controlled oral pulse prednisolone therapy in alopecia areata

Systemic corticosteroids administered as pulse therapy have been found helpful in a wide array of diseases including alopecia areata (AA). None of the studies published so far regarding their use in AA have been randomized or placebo-controlled. We sought to compare the efficacy of weekly oral prednisolone pulse therapy in a placebo-controlled trial for patients with extensive AA. A total of 43 patients were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in group A (23 patients) were treated with oral prednisolone (200 mg once weekly, 5 40-mg tablets) and patients in group B (20 patients) were given placebo tablets on an identical schedule. The total study period was 6 months, consisting of 3 months of active therapy followed by another 3 months of observation. Significant hair regrowth was obtained in 8 patients in the prednisolone-treated group. Two of the responders experienced a relapse during the observation period of 3 months. In the placebo group, none of the patients had significant hair regrowth at the end of the study. Oral prednisolone pulse therapy is useful in AA. Placebo-controlled studies with varying dosage schedules are required to standardize the dose of prednisolone used in pulse therapy, optimize the therapeutic efficacy, and minimize side effects.

Production of anti-Candida antibodies in mice with gut colonization of Candida albicans.

BACKGROUND: Production of antibodies that are specific for allergens is an important pathological process in inflammatory allergic diseases. These contain the antibodies against antigens of Candida albicans, one of the normal microbial flora in an intestinal tract. We studied the effects of the prednisolone administration on the production of anti-Candida antibodies in the gastrointestinally C. albicans-colonized mice. METHODS AND MATERIALS: BALB/c mice, treated with antibacterial antibiotics to decontaminate indigenous intestinal bacterial flora, were inoculated intragastrically with C. albicans. The mice, in which C. albicans grows intestinally, were administered prednisolone to induce temporary immunosuppression. The Candida growth in their intestinal tract and their antibody response to Candida were examined. RESULTS: Antibiotic treatment allowed establishment of C. albicans gastrointestinal colonization, but did not cause subsequent systemic dissemination of C. albicans in all the animals. When these animals received an additional treatment with prednisolone, they showed a significantly higher population of C. albicans in their feces than those of animals treated with antibiotics alone, and the organisms were recovered even from their kidney. This systemic dissemination by C. albicans appeared to be temporal, because all the mice survived without any symptoms for more than 2 months. Examination of the serum titers of total immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies and specific IgE and IgG antibodies against Candida antigens demonstrated that titers of total IgE increased, partially by day 14 and clearly at day 27, in prednisolone-treated Candida-colonized mice. Without prednisolone treatment, an increment of the serum titer was scarcely observed. By day 27, corresponding to the increase of total IgE, the anti-Candida IgE and IgG titer increased in mice of the prednisolone-treated group. CONCLUSION: Administration of prednisolone to Candida-colonized mice can induce production of the IgG, IgE antibodies against Candida antigens, perhaps through temporal systemic dissemination of Candida from the intestinal tract.

IgE levels in surgery: effect of ranitidine and prednisolone

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is important in allergic reactions and in host defense against parasites. IgE may also participate in the acute-phase response to physical stress. This study aimed to determine whether major abdominal surgery induced increased serum IgE levels, and whether treatment with ranitidine or prednisolone influenced the IgE response to surgery. For assessment of the IgE response to surgery and the effect of ranitidine, 24 patients scheduled for major abdominal surgery were randomized to receive either perioperative treatment with ranitidine or no treatment. To evaluate the effect of glucocorticoids, 24 patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery were randomized to receive preoperative treatment with either prednisolone or placebo. IgE levels were determined in serum samples drawn pre- and postoperatively. In the ranitidine study, both the control group and the ranitidine-treated group displayed a postoperative increase (P<0.001) of serum IgE. In the prednisolone study, a postoperative increase (P<0.05) of serum IgE was detected in the placebo group. No significant increase was found in the prednisolone-treated group. Major abdominal surgery induces an increase of serum IgE. This increase can be prevented by preoperative treatment with prednisolone, but not with ranitidine.

Effects of prednisolone and dexamethasone on alkali burns of the esophagus in rabbit.

Steroids have been widely used to prevent the severe secondary strictures that inevitably follow accidental ingestion of caustic substances by children, though with controversial results. To confirm the efficacy of large early doses of dexamethasone, we conducted an experimental study in rabbits. A cotton swab soaked in sodium hydroxide was placed on the esophageal mucosa of 30 rabbits. The rabbits were then treated with antibiotics and randomly allocated to one of three groups. One group received no steroids; the second group was treated with prednisolone; and the third was given dexamethasone. After 21 days, the rabbits were killed and the severity of the lesion was evaluated by radiological, anatomical, and histological examination. Rabbits with moderate or severe stricture, as defined on the basis of radiological examination, made up 80% of the control group, 70% of the prednisolone-treated group, and 40% of the dexamethasone-treated group. Rabbits with third-degree burns, with or without macroscopic ulcers, made up 60% of the control group, 40% of the prednisolone-treated group, and 30% of the dexamethasone-treated group. On histological examination, rabbits with third-degree lesions made up 70% of the control group, 40% of the prednisolone-treated group, and only 20% of the dexamethasone-treated group. Only the difference between the control and dexamethasone-treated group was statistically significant. Taken together, our results clearly indicate that, in rabbits, rapid postburn administration of dexamethasone leads to significant reductions in the frequency and severity of strictures and in the severity of burns.

Serum C-reactive protein and immune responses in dogs inoculated with Bordetella bronchiseptica (phase I cells).

Eight Beagle dogs were inoculated intrabronchially with 5 x 10(9) live, avirulent cells of Bordetella bronchiseptica L-414 strain (phase I cells) (B. bronchiseptica) to investigate the serum levels of their C-reactive protein, the white blood cell counts, the antibody responses to B. bronchiseptica in the sera and tracheal secretions, and the effects of prednisolone given to four of the dogs on C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cells (WBC) and immune responses. In two Beagle dogs inoculated intrabronchially with sterile physiological saline, the concentrations of CRP and the WBC counts did not increase. CRP was markedly increased one day after inoculation in the dogs inoculated with B. bronchiseptica to 385.0-720.0 micrograms/ml (mean 498 +/- 132 micrograms/ml) in the group given the B. bronchiseptica inoculation only, and to 372.0-649.0 micrograms/ml (mean 551 +/- 106 micrograms/ml) in the group treated with prednisolone following inoculation of B. bronchiseptica, as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The CRP levels were 23-95 times the pre-inoculation values, which indicated that prednisolone had no effect on the production of CRP. In the prednisolone-treated group, the WBC count increased and stayed at an increased level for approximately 12 days. An indirect fluorescent antibody test led to the detection of anti-B. bronchiseptica IgM and IgG antibodies in the sera from 5 days after B. bronchiseptica inoculation and S-IgA and IgG anti-B. bronchiseptica antibodies in the tracheal secretions on the day after the challenge exposure to B. bronchiseptica. The increase in CRP after challenge exposure to B. bronchiseptica was significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than that found after the first inoculation of B. bronchiseptica.

Effects of glucocorticoids on skeletal growth in rabbits evaluated by dual-photon absorptiometry, microscopic connectivity and vertebral compressive strength

The effects of corticosteroid on bone were examined in female growing rabbits treated with 0.7 mg/kg per day prednisolone for 5 months. The evolution of whole-body total bone mineral measured by dual-photon absorptiometry showed a significant difference between the prednisolone-treated group and the control group from the first to the fifth month. The histomorphometric profile of corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis was observed, in particular the lower bone volume and thinner and fewer trabecular plates. Mechanical tests are possible on rabbit vertebrae and showed a very significant difference in bone strength between the prednisolone-treated and control groups, and a good correlation between mechanical tests and histomorphometric or densitometric results. This bone corticosteroid model shows that vertebral compression tests are possible on rabbit lumbar vertebrae. It may contribute to a better evaluation of corticosteroid treatments.

Randomized, Double-Masked Study of Cyclosporine Compared to Prednisolone in the Treatment of Endogenous Uveitis

Fifty-six patients with bilateral sight-threatening noninfectious intermediate or posterior uveitis participated in a randomized double-masked study of the use of cyclosporine vs prednisolone in their treatment. Applying the end-point definitions, visual acuity or vitreal haze improved in only 13 of 28 (46%) patients in each group. The macular edema resolved in seven of 15 patients of the cyclosporine-treated group, and in ten of 16 patients of the prednisolone-treated group (P = .376). Patients whose therapies failed both cyclosporine and prednisolone trials were treated with both drugs, which resulted in additional patient improvements. Secondary effects were observed in both therapeutic alternatives, the most notable being alterations in serum creatinine concentration and hypertension with the dosage of cyclosporine used.

The effect of corticosteroids on monocyte and neutrophil activation in bronchial asthma

The expression of IgG (Fc) receptor (FcR) and complement receptor (CR) on peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils was determined by the rosette technique in patients with asthma receiving different forms of treatment. In 31 patients taking inhaled therapy (i.e., bronchodilators alone or in combination with inhaled corticosteroids), monocyte FcR (48.19 ± 1.24%, mean ± SEM) and complement (66.54 ± 1.09%) rosettes were significantly higher (FcR p < 0.001, CR p < 0.001) than in the 17 healthy, normal control subjects (FcR 37.94 ± 0.82%, CR 59.7 ± 0.98%). These increases in the percent rosettes between the two groups were observed even when a wide concentration range of IgG or complement was used to coat the red cells. No significant differences in monocyte receptor expression were observed between those patients being treated with bronchodilators alone or patients being treated in combination with inhaled corticosteroids. In 19 patients with asthma receiving oral corticosteroids, the mean monocyte FcR (38.21 ± 1.73%) and CR (52.78 ± 2.09%) were significantly reduced when these patients were compared with those patients receiving inhaled therapy alone (FcR p < 0.001, CR p < 0.001), and there was a significant inverse correlation between the percent rosettes and the dose of prednisolone. Neutrophil CR (51.32 ± 1.30%, p < 0.05) but not FcR expression (24.7 ± 0.80%) was significantly increased when these were compared with those of control subjects (FcR 24.7 ± 0.60%, CR 47.11 ± 0.86%), and both neutrophil FcR and CR expression was significantly reduced (FcR p < 0.01, CR p < 0.001) in those patients with asthma receiving oral corticosteroids. There was also a significant correlation between monocyte FcR expression and the percent predicted FEV 1 measurements in the prednisolone-treated group with asthma (r = −0.62, p < 0.02). These results suggest that circulating monocytes and neutrophils are activated in patients with bronchial asthma and that oral corticosteroids reverse this effect.