Short Course Of Systemic Corticosteroids Research Articles

Prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis without/with nasal polyps according to severity in Spain.

The worldwide prevalence range of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is 5-12%; from this, 20 % have nasal polyps. Due to the little epidemiological data about CRS in the Spanish population, this study analyses the prevalence and severity of CRS with (CRSwNP) or without (CRSsNP) nasal polyps, and their connection with other coexisting type 2 inflammatory diseases in Spain. This is a retrospective, large-scale, nationwide, epidemiological study based on the electronic medical records from the BIG-PAC® database. Patients diagnosed of CRSsNP and CRSwNP were identified using specific disease codes. The severe form of the disease was defined as patients who received at least a long course of antibiotics in CRSsNP or ≥2 short courses of systemic corticosteroids in CRSwNP in ≤12 months during the last 2 years, and/or had previous sinus surgery. Physician-diagnosed prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and disease severity were assessed. Out of a cohort of 1,012,257 patients (≥18 years old), 42,863 and 7,550 patients with diagnosed CRSsNP and CRSwNP, respectively, were analysed. The overall prevalence of diagnosed CRS was 5.1%, being 4.3% and 0.8% for CRSsNP and CRSwNP, respectively. Patients with CRSwNP and severe forms of the disease were older and had higher levels of type 2 inflammatory biomarkers than CRSsNP patients and non-severe disease. Although CRSsNP was more prevalent than CRSwNP, the severe forms of CRS were more frequent in patients with CRSwNP. In addition, CRSwNP patients had a higher incidence of coexisting type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Clinical experience of a specialized urticaria outpatient clinic from a Portuguese UCARE.

Background. Chronic urticaria (CU) is a frequent disease, with a prevalence of at least 1%. It is characterized by pruritic wheals, angioedema or both for a period longer than 6 weeks. Objective. Identify the demographic, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic profile of patients treated in a Portuguese Urticaria Center of Reference and Excellence (UCARE) and compare it with international series. Methods. Retrospective analysis of database of patients observed in a specialized urticaria outpatient clinic, from January 2017 through September 2019, of a UCARE center in Portugal. Demographic and clinical features, laboratory findings and pharmacological treatment were obtained from the records. Descriptive analyses were performed for all variables. Chi square and fisher's exact tests were applied to analyze the independence of variables and the fit of distribution. P less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results. During this period, 477 patients were observed, of whom 429 (90%) were diagnosed with chronic urticaria. Mean age (years) at the onset of symptoms was 43.7 (standard deviation (SD) 17.6, range 6-88) and at diagnosis 46.7 (SD 17.8, range 6-88) resulting in an average diagnostic delay of 3 years (range 0-25). Median follow-up period since first attendance in the specialized outpatient clinic was 1.7 years (interquartile range (IQR) 0.79, range 0.1-2.75) . Concerning the whole group of CU patients, 347 (81%) had chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) - 79% female, 39 (9%) had isolated chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) and 43 (10%) had CSU with CIndU. Autologous serum skin test (ASST) was done in 76 patients (positive in 24 (32%)) and basophil activation test (BAT) was done in 38 (positive in 13 (34%)). At the moment of study, 204 (48%) of CU patients were medicated with a second-generation H1-antihistamine (sgAH) daily (first-line therapy), 99 (23%) with sgAH up to four times the standard dose (second-line therapy) and 126 (29%) with omalizumab (third-line therapy). Additionally, 7 (2%) patients were completing a short course of systemic corticosteroids for management of disease exacerbation. Disease control was achieved in 316 of CSU patients (81%). Conclusions. Referral to a specialized urticaria outpatient clinic is important for a proper assessment of the disease and adequately symptom control.

Systemic corticosteroids for radicular and non-radicular low back pain.

Corticosteroids are medications with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant properties. Systemic corticosteroids administered through the oral, intravenous, or intramuscular routes have been used to treat various types of low back pain, including radicular back pain (not due to spinal stenosis), non-radicular back pain, and spinal stenosis. However, there is uncertainty about the benefits and harms of systemic corticosteroids for low back pain. To evaluate the benefits and harms of systemic corticosteroids versus placebo or no corticosteroid for radicular low back pain, non-radicular low back pain, and symptomatic spinal stenosis in adults. We used standard, extensive Cochrane search methods. The latest search date was September 2021. We included randomized and quasi-randomized trials in adults of systematic corticosteroids versus placebo or no corticosteroid. We used standard Cochrane methods. The major outcomes were pain, function, need for surgery, serious adverse effect, and presence of hyperglycemia. The minor outcomes were quality of life, successful outcomes, non-serious adverse events, and withdrawal due to adverse events. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome. Thirteen trials (1047 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Nine trials included participants with radicular low back pain, two trial with low back pain, and two trials with spinal stenosis. All trials blinded participants to receipt of systemic corticosteroids. Seven trials were at low risk of bias, five at unclear risk, and one at high risk of selection bias. Two trials were at high risk of attrition bias. Doses and duration of systemic corticosteroid therapy varied. Radicular low back pain For radicular low back pain, moderate-certainty evidence indicated that systemic corticosteroids probably slightly decrease pain versus placebo at short-term follow-up (mean difference (MD) 0.56 points better, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08 to 0.04 on a 0 to 10 scale) and may slightly increase the likelihood of experiencing improvement in pain at short-term follow-up (risk ratio (RR) 1.21, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.66; absolute effect 5% better (95% CI 5% worse to 15% better). Systemic corticosteroids may not improve function at short-term follow-up (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.14 better; range 0.49 better to 0.21 worse) and probably increase the likelihood of improvement in function at short-term follow-up (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.91; absolute effect 19% better, 95% CI 8% better to 30% better). Systemic corticosteroids were associated with greater improvement in function versus placebo at long-term follow-up (MD -7.40, 95% CI -12.55 to -2.25 on the 0 to 100 Oswestry Disability Index) and greater likelihood of functional improvement (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.56), based on a single trial. There was no difference in likelihood of surgery (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.47). Evidence indicated that systemic corticosteroids (administered as a single dose or as a short course of therapy) are not associated with increased risk of any adverse event, serious adverse events, withdrawal due to adverse events, or hyperglycemia, but estimates were imprecise as some trials did not report harms, and harms reporting was suboptimal in trials that did provide data. Limitations included variability across trials in interventions (e.g. corticosteroid used, dose and duration of treatment), clinical settings, and participants (e.g. duration of symptoms, methods for diagnosis); limited utility of subgroup analyses due to small numbers of trials; methodologic limitations or suboptimal reporting of methods by some trials; and too few trials to formally assess for publication bias using graphical or statistical tests for small sample effects. Non-radicular low back pain Evidence on systemic corticosteroids versus placebo for non-radicular pain was limited and suggested that systemic corticosteroids may be associated with slightly worse short-term pain but slightly better function. Spinal stenosis For spinal stenosis, limited evidence indicated that systemic corticosteroids are probably no more effective than placebo for short-term pain or function. Systemic corticosteroids appear to be slightly effective at improving short-term pain and function in people with radicular low back pain not due to spinal stenosis, and might slightly improve long-term function. The effects of systemic corticosteroids in people with non-radicular low back pain are unclear and systemic corticosteroids are probably ineffective for spinal stenosis. A single dose or short course of systemic corticosteroids for low back pain does not appear to cause serious harms, but evidence is limited.

A 4-Year Retrospective Claims Analysis of Oral Corticosteroid Use and Health Conditions in Newly Diagnosed Medicare FFS Patients with COPD.

PurposeWe analyzed population-level administrative claims data for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries to provide insights on systemic oral corticosteroid (OCS) use patterns and associated health conditions and acute events among patients newly diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).BackgroundCOPD is a progressive inflammatory disease of the lungs, characterized by acute exacerbations that may lead to increased mortality. Short courses of systemic corticosteroids (SCS) are recommended to reduce recovery time from exacerbations, although SCS use has been associated with increased risk of adverse events.MethodsThis study used 2013–2019 Medicare 100% FFS research identifiable files, which contain all Medicare Parts A, B, and D paid claims incurred by 100% of Medicare FFS beneficiaries. Descriptive statistics for patients newly diagnosed with COPD were analyzed, including OCS use, select health conditions and acute events, and COPD exacerbations. Statistical models were used to analyze the relationship between the incidence of select health conditions and events and cumulative OCS dosage.ResultsOf Medicare FFS patients newly diagnosed with COPD, 36% received OCS in the 48 months following diagnosis, and 38% of OCS episodes lasted longer than the recommended 5–7 days. Patients had a variety of health conditions or acute events in the 24-month period prior to new COPD diagnosis, such as hypertension, depression/anxiety, type 2 diabetes, or osteoporosis, that could heighten the risks of OCS use. Patients treated with >1000 mg of prednisolone equivalent OCS in the 48 months following COPD diagnosis had a higher incidence of new conditions or events, including cardiovascular disease, heart failure, hypertension, obesity, dyspepsia, infections, and depression/anxiety, than patients with no OCS use.ConclusionThese results highlight the potential risks of OCS in COPD treatment, including prolonged use among complex Medicare patients, and reinforce the importance of preventive treatment strategies and therapy optimization early in the disease course.

Systemic Corticosteroids in the Management of Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Exacerbations.

Rationale: Pulmonary exacerbation (PEx) events contribute to lung function decline in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF Foundation PEx guidelines note that a short course of systemic corticosteroids may offer benefit without contributing to long-term adverse effects. However, insufficient evidence exists to recommend systemic corticosteroids for PEx treatment. Objectives: To determine if systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of in-hospital pediatric PEx are associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with treatment without systemic corticosteroids. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the CF Foundation Patient Registry-Pediatric Health Information System linked database. People with CF were included if hospitalized for a PEx between 2006 and 2018 and were 6-21 years of age. Time to next PEx was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression. Lung function outcomes were assessed by linear mixed-effect modeling and generalized estimating equations. To address confounding by indication, inverse probability treatment weighting was used. Results: A total of 3,471 people with CF contributed 9,787 PEx for analysis. Systemic corticosteroids were used in 15% of all PEx. In our primary analysis, systemic corticosteroids were not associated with better pre- to post-PEx percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second responses (mean difference, -0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.14, 0.42; P = 0.4) or a higher odds of returning to lung function baseline (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84-1.12; P = 0.7) but were associated with a reduced chance of future PEx requiring intravenous antibiotics (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.96; P = 0.002). When restricting the analysis to one PEx per person, lung function outcomes remained no different among PEx treated with or without systemic corticosteroids, but, in contrast to our primary analysis, the use of systemic corticosteroids was no longer associated with a reduced chance of having a future PEx requiring intravenous antibiotics (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.86, 1.07; P = 0.42). Conclusions: Systemic corticosteroid treatment for in-hospital pediatric PEx was not associated with improved lung function outcomes. Prospective trials are needed to better evaluate the risks and benefits of systemic corticosteroid use for PEx treatment in children with CF.

Гостра кропив'янка — актуальна мультидисциплінарна проблема

Abstract. The article is devoted to an actual multidisciplinary problem — etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of acute urticaria (AU). It belongs to the 20 most common skin diseases, and it is faced not only by allergists and dermatologists, but also by therapists, pediatricians and other doctors. In therapeutic and especially pediatric practice, AU is of particular interest, which is associated with significant diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The prevalence of AU ranges from 1 to 5% in the population, and among the child population, the incidence of AU reaches 6.7 %. The most common triggers for AU are drugs (38.1 %), infectious agents (35.2 %), stress (24.7 %), and food (17.8 %). AU pathogenesis is based on degranulation and release of mediators from mast cells. Their activation during AU can be caused by both immunological factors mediated by specific receptors on cell membranes and non-immunological factors. The diagnostic process begins with the collection of complaints, anamnesis data and physical examination. The volume of laboratory and instrumental examination of patients with AU is determined by the intensity of clinical manifestations, duration of the disease, response to therapy, as well as external symptoms. There are no routine indications for laboratory testing in AU. If an allergic genesis of AU is suspected, specific allergy diagnostics are indicated. Antihistamines of the second generation remain the basis of treatment for patients with urticaria, and in case of their insufficient effectiveness, omalizumab and cyclosporine are added to the treatment regimen. Short courses of systemic corticosteroids may be prescribed in rare cases of severe disease. Key words: acute urticaria, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment.

Multidisciplinary consensus on a stepwise treatment algorithm for management of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Multidisciplinary consensus on a stepwise treatment algorithm for management of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Clinicopathologic characterization of enfortumab vedotin-associated cutaneous toxicity in patients with urothelial carcinoma

Clinicopathologic characterization of enfortumab vedotin-associated cutaneous toxicity in patients with urothelial carcinoma

Aspectos generales de etiología y tratamiento de la sinusitis crónica

La sinusitis crónica es una enfermedad crónica que implica inflamación a largo plazo de la mucosa del seno nasal y paranasal. A pesar de su prevalencia generalizada y su impacto sustancial en la población, no existen medicamentos aprobados para su manejo y tratamiento. Esto se debe en gran medida a la falta de investigación sobre tratamientos seguros y efectivos, que a su vez está relacionado con la falta de comprensión de la fisiopatología de la enfermedad. El objetivo de este articulo proporcionar una revisión de la literatura sobre los referentes teóricos de la sinusitis crónica, con la finalidad de actualizar y profundizar los conocimientos sobre su etiología y de los aspectos generales del tratamiento clínico o quirúrgico que sean de utilidad para la comunidad científica. Se analizaron 20 artículos de revisión de la literatura y 5 artículos de análisis de datos sobre el tema. Se recopilaron artículos desde el año 2010 al 2019, tanto en idioma inglés como en español. La evidencia respalda la irrigación salina diaria de alto volumen con terapia tópica con corticosteroides como terapia de primera línea para la sinusitis crónica. Se puede considerar un ciclo corto de corticosteroides sistémicos (1-3 semanas), ciclo corto de doxiciclina (3 semanas) o un antagonista de leucotrienos en pacientes con pólipos nasales. Se puede considerar un ciclo prolongado (3 meses) de antibiótico macrólido para pacientes sin pólipos.

Short-course systemic corticosteroids in asthma: striking the balance between efficacy and safety.

Short courses of systemic corticosteroids (SCS), both oral and injectable, are very effective for the resolution of acute asthma symptoms, including exacerbations. However, the benefits of SCS, even short courses, must be balanced against the impact of their side-effects. While the adverse consequences of long-term use are widely recognised, there appears to be a perception in the medical community that short courses of SCS are safe. Limited but growing evidence in the literature suggests that even very brief dosing periods (3-7 days) of SCS are enough to cause significantly negative outcomes for patients. Short courses of SCS are associated with increased risk of adverse events including loss of bone density, hypertension and gastrointestinal ulcers/bleeds, in addition to serious impacts on mental health. Strategies to improve asthma control are recommended, including: 1) as-needed combination therapies in mild asthma; 2) risk factor reduction; 3) improving adherence/inhaler technique; 4) earlier initiation of add-on therapies; 5) use of biologics in appropriate patients; 6) development of new therapies to better control the disease; and 7) widespread education of the medical community. We propose that patients and primary care physicians should consider a cumulative SCS dose of 1 g per year as a highly relevant and easy-to-recall threshold.

Safety of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) in children with moderate to severe asthma

BackgroundLive attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) is recommended for annual influenza vaccination in children from age 2 years. However, some guidelines recommend against its use in children with asthma or recurrent wheeze due to concerns over its potential to induce wheezing.ObjectiveWe sought to assess the safety of LAIV in children with moderate to severe asthma, and in preschool children with recurrent wheeze.MethodsProspective, multicenter, open-label, phase IV intervention study in 14 specialist UK clinics. LAIV was administered under medical supervision, with follow-up of asthma symptoms 72 hours and 4 weeks late, using validated questionnaires.ResultsA total of 478 young people (median, 9.3; range, 2-18 years) with physician-diagnosed asthma or recurrent wheeze were recruited, including 208 (44%) prescribed high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and 122 (31%) with severe asthma. There was no significant change in asthma symptoms in the 4 weeks after administration (median change, 0; P = .26, McNemar test), with no impact of level of baseline asthma control/symptoms in predicting either a worsening of asthma or exacerbation after LAIV using a regression model. A total of 47 subjects (14.7%; 95% CI, 11%-19.1%) reported a severe asthma exacerbation in the 4 weeks after immunization, requiring a short course of systemic corticosteroids; in 4 cases, this occurred within 72 hours of vaccination. No association with asthma severity, baseline lung function, or asthma control was identified.ConclusionsLAIV appears to be well tolerated in the vast majority of children with asthma or recurrent wheeze, including those whose asthma is categorized as severe or poorly controlled.

The Impact of Interprofessional Monitoring and Education on the Usage of Systemic Glucocorticoids in Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Retrospective, Medication Use Review.

BackgroundSystemic corticosteroid therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations is routine in clinical practice, however, dosing is variable. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) panel recommends a short course of systemic corticosteroids for acute COPD exacerbation treatment. Despite these recommendations, institutions continue to use higher doses and longer durations of systemic corticosteroid therapies.MethodsThis single-center, retrospective, cohort study evaluated systemic corticosteroid use in inpatient treatment of COPD exacerbations. Data were collected on patients with a diagnosis of COPD exacerbation from October 2017 to February 2018 in both the control and education groups. An interprofessional, learner-centric, quality improvement, educational seminar was performed. Providers were given accompanying pocket reference material for improved adherence to GOLD guidelines for the management of acute COPD exacerbations.ResultsOf the 137 charts reviewed in the control group, 130 of 137 patients (94.9%) received systemic corticosteroid doses exceeding GOLD guideline recommendations. These patients received an average daily dose of 147.5 mg of prednisone equivalents. These patients also experienced more adverse drug reactions as compared to their post-intervention counterparts. The 105 charts examined post-educational intervention revealed 47 of 105 patients (44.8%) received GOLD guideline-directed doses of systemic corticosteroids. This was an improvement from 2.9% (4 of 137) in the control group (p-value < 0.001). The average daily dose decreased to 58 mg daily (p-value < 0.001), and the number of doses over the recommended 40 mg of prednisone equivalents (54 of 105) was a 43.5% reduction (p-value < 0.001). Length of stay also decreased in the education group from 6.1 +/- 4.1 to 4.7 +/- 2.8 days (p-value 0.009). The 30-day readmission rate, however, was not statistically different between the two groups, 31.4% pre- and 21.0% post-educational intervention (p-value 0.098).ConclusionsThe interprofessional education seminar and pocket reference sheet realigned clinical practice with guideline-based therapy in this tertiary care, community hospital. These data validate that learner-centric innovation will benefit patient outcomes and improve the educational potential of the interdisciplinary rounding team.

Short Course of Systemic Corticosteroids in Wheezy Children: Still an Open Question

We performed a real-life clinical study to identify the main indications for the prescription of short-course treatment with systemic glucocorticosteroids (GCS) for steroid naive children with acute virus-induced wheezing as well as to analyze the influence of such treatment on patients' serum cortisol level, other blood tests results and the length of stay in the hospital. The data of 44 patients who had acute wheezing, had no bacterial infection and were otherwise healthy were analyzed: 26 children received treatment with GCS and 18 children did not. Full blood count, biochemistry tests (Na, K, glucose) and blood cortisol levels of all patients were analyzed during treatment. The main indications for the short-term administration of systemic GCS were increased work of breathing, recurrent wheezing, clinical signs of atopy and a family history of asthma. Systemic GCS increased a sodium concentration (p = 0.014), decreased a cortisol level (p = 0.038), leukocyte (p = 0.043), neutrophil (p = 0.045), and eosinophil (p < 0.001) count in blood serum. The major reduction in the eosinophil count was observed in allergic children (p = 0.023). Older age was a risk factor for cortisol suppression (p = 0.018). The average length of stay in the hospital was longer in the intervention group (p = 0.039). Even short-course treatment with systemic GCS decreases the serum cortisol level and has a significant effect on other blood tests results. Systemic GCS used for acute virus-induced wheezing treatment did not prove to reduce the average length of stay in the hospital. Objective criteria for initiation of such treatment are still lacking, which might consequently lead to the overuse of corticosteroids.

The right eye abducens nerve palsy as a cranial neuropathy of dengue fever: The benefit of corticosteroids in an unusual dengue sequela

Dengue fever is very common in tropical climate countries and the number of reported cases in Malaysia shows an increasing trend recently, according to the Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines. Although dengue fever is common, cranial nerve mononeuropathy is a very rare manifestation in relation to other neurological-associated syndromes. We report a rare case of cranial mononeuropathy of dengue fever in Malaysia and highlight the option of steroid usage as an alternative treatment to hasten the neurological recovery. The patient, a 25-year-old healthy policeman, presented with symptomatic viral fever, which was serologically confirmed as dengue fever. He developed acute-onset binocular diplopia, which was secondary to right eye isolated abducens nerve palsy during the critical phase of dengue fever. His visual acuity was 6/6 in both eyes with slightly restricted abduction of the right eye, consistent with right abducens nerve palsy, which was confirmed with a Hess test. There was corresponding diplopia over the right paracentral visual field. Urgent contrasted brain imaging was done, which ruled out the life-threatening intracranial pathology; therefore, a diagnosis of possible subclinical inflammatory changes causing sixth nerve palsy was made. Subsequently, he was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone 500 mg daily for 3 days and regained full extraocular muscle movement after 1 week. Oral steroid was not initiated. In conclusion, although the isolated unilateral cranial mononeuropathy may improve spontaneously within a certain period of time, a short course of systemic corticosteroids may be considered to hasten the recovery, as it has a favourable outcome.

A case of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis successfully treated with mepolizumab

BackgroundAllergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic pulmonary disease comprising a complex hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus fumigatus. Clinical features of ABPA are wheezing, mucoid impaction, and pulmonary infiltrates. Oral corticosteroids and anti-fungal agents are standard therapy for ABPA, but long-term use of systemic corticosteroids often causes serious side effects.Case presentationA 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with ABPA based on a history of bronchial asthma (from 40 years of age), elevated total IgE, the presence of serum precipitating antibodies and elevated specific IgE antibody to A. fumigatus, and pulmonary infiltration. Bronchoscopy showed eosinophilic mucoid impaction. Systemic corticosteroid therapy was initiated, and her symptoms disappeared. Peripheral eosinophilia and pulmonary infiltration recurred five months after cessation of corticosteroid treatment. Systemic corticosteroids were re-initiated and itraconazole was added as an anti-fungal agent. The patient was free of corticosteroids, aside from treatment with a short course of systemic corticosteroids for asthma exacerbation, and clinically stable with itraconazole and asthma treatments for 3 years. In 2017, she experienced significant deterioration. Laboratory examination revealed marked eosinophilia (3017/μL) and a chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated pulmonary infiltration in the left upper lobe and mucoid impaction in both lower lobes. The patient was treated with high-dose inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta-agonist, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, and theophylline; spirometry revealed a forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 1.01 L. An uncontrolled asthma state was indicated by an Asthma Control Test (ACT) score of 18. Mepolizumab, 100 mg every 4 weeks, was initiated for the treatment of severe bronchial asthma with ABPA exacerbation. Bronchial asthma symptoms dramatically improved, and ACT score increased to 24, by 4 weeks after mepolizumab treatment. Peripheral eosinophil count decreased to 174/μL. Spirometry revealed improvement of lung function (FEV1: 1.28 L). A chest CT scan demonstrated the disappearance of pulmonary infiltration and mucoid impaction.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first case of ABPA to be treated with mepolizumab. Dramatic improvements were observed in symptoms, lung function, peripheral eosinophil counts, and chest images. Mepolizumab could serve as an alternative treatment with the potential to provide a systemic corticosteroid-sparing effect.

Are systemic corticosteroids useful for the management of acute pharyngitis?

Pain associated to acute pharyngitis is a frequent cause of consultation. Usual care includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and antibiotics in selected cases, but pain relief is not always quick enough. The use of corticosteroids has been proposed as a therapeutic alternative, but its actual efficacy is matter of debate. To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. We identified eight systematic reviews including 11 studies overall, of which 10 were randomized trials. We concluded a short course of systemic corticosteroids reduces pain related to acute pharyngitis, without increasing the risk of adverse effects.

Treatment With Systemic Steroids in Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: Use of Short Regimens in Routine Clinical Practice and Their Impact on Hospital Stay

IntroductionIt is not known whether clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of COPD exacerbations with short courses of systemic corticosteroids (SC-SCS) are followed in clinical practice. MethodProspective, observational cohort study in patients admitted due to severe COPD exacerbation. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who received SC-SCS as treatment for severe exacerbation (doses of 200–300mg for 5–6 days). Secondary variables were percentage of patients with duration or reduced dose, dose in the first 24h, days of intravenous systemic corticosteroids (SCS), and duration of hospital length of stay (LOS). Simple linear regression was performed with LOS as a dependent variable and multivariate analysis with factors associated with LOS. Results158 patients were evaluated. 4.4% (7) patients received SC-SCS, 8.7% received a reduced dose and duration was reduced in 15.8%. The median dose and duration of SCS were 602.5mg (200–1625) and 14 (4–36) days, respectively. We observed an association between days of SCS and LOS (P<.001) and doses of intrahospital SCS and LOS (P<.001). Factors associated with LOS were doses of intrahospital SCS received (0.01 [95% CI: 0.007–0.013]; P<.001), days of steroid treatment (0.14 [95% CI: 0.03–0.25], P=.009) and PAFI (pO2/FiO2 ratio) at admission (−0.012 [95% CI: −0.012 to -0.002], P=.015). ConclusionsThe SCS schedules used in routine clinical practice are longer and administered at a higher dose than recommended, leading to a longer hospital stay.

Tratamiento con esteroides sistémicos en agudización grave de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica: empleo de pautas cortas en práctica clínica habitual y relación con la estancia hospitalaria

IntroductionIt is not known whether clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of COPD exacerbations with short coursesofsystemic corticosteroids(SC-SCS) are followed in clinical practice. MethodProspective, observational cohort study in patients admitted due to severe COPD exacerbation. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who received SC-SCS as treatment for severe exacerbation (doses of 200-300mg for 5-6 days). Secondary variables were percentageof patients with duration or reduced dose, dose in the first 24hours, days of intravenous systemic corticosteroids (SCS), and duration of hospital length of stay (LOS). Simple linear regression was performed with LOS as a dependent variable and multivariate analysis with factors associated with LOS. Results158 patients were evaluated. 4.4% (7) patients received SC-SCS, 8.7% received a reduced dose and duration was reduced in 15.8%. The median dose and duration of SCS were 602.5mg (200-1625) and 14 (4-36) days, respectively. We observed an association between days of SCSand LOS (P<.001) and doses of intrahospitalSCSand LOS (P<.001). Factors associated with LOS were doses of intrahospitalSCS received (.01 [95% CI:.007-.013]; P<0.001), days of steroid treatment (.14 [95% CI .03-.25], P=.009) and PAFI (pO2/FiO2 ratio) at admission (-.012 [95% CI: -.012 to -.002], P=.015). ConclusionsThe SCS schedules used in routine clinical practice are longer and administered at a higher dose than recommended, leading toa longer hospital stay.

Medical Therapies for Adult Chronic Sinusitis: A Systematic Review.

Chronic sinusitis is a common inflammatory condition defined by persistent symptomatic inflammation of the sinonasal cavities lasting longer than 3 months. It accounts for 1% to 2% of total physician encounters and is associated with large health care expenditures. Appropriate use of medical therapies for chronic sinusitis is necessary to optimize patient quality of life (QOL) and daily functioning and minimize the risk of acute inflammatory exacerbations. To summarize the highest-quality evidence on medical therapies for adult chronic sinusitis and provide an evidence-based approach to assist in optimizing patient care. A systematic review searched Ovid MEDLINE (1947-January 30, 2015), EMBASE, and Cochrane Databases. The search was limited to randomized clinical trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Evidence was categorized into maintenance and intermittent or rescue therapies and reported based on the presence or absence of nasal polyps. Twenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria: 12 meta-analyses (>60 RCTs), 13 systematic reviews, and 4 RCTs that were not included in any of the meta-analyses. Saline irrigation improved symptom scores compared with no treatment (standardized mean difference [SMD], 1.42 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.84]; a positive SMD indicates improvement). Topical corticosteroid therapy improved overall symptom scores (SMD, -0.46 [95% CI, -0.65 to -0.27]; a negative SMD indicates improvement), improved polyp scores (SMD, -0.73 [95% CI, -1.0 to -0.46]; a negative SMD indicates improvement), and reduced polyp recurrence after surgery (relative risk, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.45 to 0.79]). Systemic corticosteroids and oral doxycycline (both for 3 weeks) reduced polyp size compared with placebo for 3 months after treatment (P < .001). Leukotriene antagonists improved nasal symptoms compared with placebo in patients with nasal polyps (P < .01). Macrolide antibiotic for 3 months was associated with improved QOL at a single time point (24 weeks after therapy) compared with placebo for patients without polyps (SMD, -0.43 [95% CI, -0.82 to -0.05]). Evidence supports daily high-volume saline irrigation with topical corticosteroid therapy as a first-line therapy for chronic sinusitis. A short course of systemic corticosteroids (1-3 weeks), short course of doxycycline (3 weeks), or a leukotriene antagonist may be considered in patients with nasal polyps. A prolonged course (3 months) of macrolide antibiotic may be considered for patients without polyps.

Demographic and clinical profiles in patients with acute urticaria

BackgroundUrticaria is a common cause for consultation in general and specialised medical practices. There is scarce information on the characteristics of patients suffering acute urticaria in Latin America. ObjectivesTo investigate demographic and clinical features of patients with acute urticaria attending two allergy clinics in Caracas, Venezuela. MethodsA prospective study of all new patients who consulted during a three-year period because of acute urticaria. Information on age, gender, symptom duration, previous medical history, body distribution of wheals and angio-oedema, laboratory investigations, skin prick tests, and pharmacological treatment, was collected. Patients were classified according to their age as children/adolescents and adults. ResultsTwo hundred and forty eight patients (177 adults and 71 children) were studied. Acute urticaria was more frequent in middle-aged atopic female patients. Lesions more often involved upper and lower limbs and head, and 31% of patients exhibited generalised urticaria. Laboratory investigations, performed only in selected cases, did not contribute to the final diagnosis. Most frequent subtypes of acute urticaria were spontaneous, dermographic, papular, and drug-induced urticaria. Most patients were treated with non-sedating antihistamines, with increased use of cetirizine and levocetirizine in children, while 5.6% of children and 20.3% of adults required the addition of short courses of systemic corticosteroids. ConclusionsAcute urticaria is a frequent cause of consultation for allergists, affecting more often middle-aged female atopic patients. The use of extensive complementary tests does not seem to be cost-effective for this clinical condition. Spontaneous, dermographic, papular and drug-induced urticaria are the most common subtypes.