Short-term Corticosteroid Use Research Articles

Early Short-Term Use of Different Doses of Corticosteroid in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia

Abstract Objective Encouraged by reports of favorable outcomes following the use of corticosteroids in patients with moderate-to-severe coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, we aimed to present our experience with early short-term corticosteroid use at our center in pediatric patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods One hundred and twenty-nine pediatric patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into four groups according to the type and dose of corticosteroids given: Group 1 (those receiving dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg/d); Group 2 (those receiving methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg/d); Group 3 (those receiving methylprednisolone 2 mg/kg/d); and Group 4 (those receiving pulse methylprednisolone 10–30 mg/kg/d). Results Of 129 patients, 19 (14.7%) patients were assigned to Group 1, 30 (23.3%) patients to Group 2, 30 (23.3%) patients to Group 3, and 50 (38.8%) patients to Group 4. Thirty-two (24.8%) patients were followed in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), of whom 13 (10%) required mechanical ventilation, and 7 (%5.4) died. In Group 4, the hospitalization length was significantly longer than in other groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). No significant difference was found among the groups in terms of mortality (p = 0.15). The most common comorbidity was obesity (33%). A significant association was found between the presence of comorbidity and mortality (p < 0.001). All patients who died had an underlying disease. Cerebral palsy was the most common underlying disease among the patients who died. Worsening of lymphopenia was significant in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia at the time of transfer to the PICU (p = 0.011). Conclusion Although children usually have a milder course of COVID-19 than adults, underlying diseases and obesity increase the severity of disease manifestations also in children. Further studies are needed to define the exact role of corticosteroids in COVID-19 patients.

Low-to-Moderate Dosage and Short-Term Use of Corticosteroids Benefit Patients With Severe COVID-19 Infections.

Although the FDA has given emergency use authorization (EUA) for some antiviral drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, no direct antiviral drugs have been identified for the treatment of critically ill patients, the most important treatment is suppression of the hyperinflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of corticosteroids in hospitalized severe or critical patients positive for COVID-19. This is a retrospective single-center descriptive study. Patients classified as having severe or critical COVID-19 infections with acute respiratory dysfunction syndrome in Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital were enrolled from January 11th to March 30th, 2020. Ninety patients were classified as having severe or critical COVID-19 infections. The patients were treated with methylprednisolone with a low-to-moderate dosage and short duration. The days from the symptom onset to methylprednisolone were about 8 days. Eighteen patients were treated with invasive ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) care. All the patients in the severe group and ten in the critical group recovered and were discharged. Three critical cases with invasive ventilation died. Although cases were much more severe in the corticosteroid-treated group, the mortality was not significantly increased. Early use of low-to-moderate dosage and short duration of corticosteroid may be the more accurate immune-modulatory treatment and brings more benefits to severe patients with COVID-19.

PCO-020 - Effect of short-term corticosteroid use on reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine

PCO-020 - Effect of short-term corticosteroid use on reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine

Bilateral 0.19 mg Fluocinolone Acetonide Intravitreal Implant in the Successful Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis and Secondary Macular Oedema: A Case Report and Review of Intravitreal Therapies

IntroductionTreatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis necessitates the use of long-term corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents, each of which poses their own significant side effect profile. Initial treatment requires intensive topical glucocorticoids, with a step-up approach employing immunosuppressive agents for those cases with poor response or high-risk complications such as macular oedema. To date, there is minimal evidence to support a specific approach to such complicated subgroups. We present the first case to successfully employ the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide implant (ILUVIEN®, Alimera Sciences, Hampshire, UK) as a novel device for prolonged intravitreal administration of disease-modifying agents for patients with JIA complicated by uveitis.MethodsThis retrospective case report describes a 20-year old woman diagnosed with oligoarticular JIA complicated by chronic uveitis and associated cystoid macular oedema (CMO). Considering factors including the patient’s non-compliance, age, lens status, non-steroid response, and good response to short-term intravitreal steroid therapy, the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant was deemed an appropriate step-up treatment option.ResultsAt 12-month follow-up, the left eye (OS) showed an improvement in visual acuity to 6/15 − 1 from 6/60 + 1 (0.42 from 0.98 logMAR) (pre-insertion) and a reduction in central retinal thickness (CRT) of 199 μm from 471 μm. The right eye (OD), treated 10 months later, showed an improvement in visual acuity to 6/7.5 from 6/24 − 1 (0.10 from 0.56 LogMAR) and a reduction in CRT of 327 μm 6 months after treatment.ConclusionIn this case, the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide implant provided safe and effective long-term treatment of JIA-associated uveitis and secondary CMO. This potentially offers an alternative approach to complex cases that show good response to short-term corticosteroid use.

Safety of corticosteroids in young children with acute respiratory conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveAdverse events (AEs) associated with short-term corticosteroid use for respiratory conditions in young children.DesignSystematic review of primary studies.Data sourcesMedline, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase and regulatory agencies were searched September 2014; search...

PSY1 CONCEPTUALIZING A FRAMEWORK FOR MODELING SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has a complex and heterogeneous natural history. Our aim was to develop a conceptual model of SLE that characterizes the relationships between short- and long-term outcomes that could be applied in future economic evaluations and health technology assessments of new therapies. As per the ISPOR-SMDM Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force guidelines, a targeted literature review was conducted to identify any previously developed conceptual or economic models in SLE. A steering committee of clinical and economic experts was convened to review existing model frameworks and brainstorm a new conceptual model, building on revision and refinement of prior models. The relationships between patient characteristics, disease activity, commonly used treatments, organ damage, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and mortality were all considered by the committee, as well as the likely data available to parameterize the model in the future. Based on the existing literature and consensus among committee members, the key components of the conceptual model included disease activity, corticosteroid use, and organ damage by individual system. Relationships not present in prior models included stratifying short-term disease activity by level (e.g., low, moderate, high)and corticosteroid use influencing subsequent disease activity. Higher disease activity levels (i.e., flare) would trigger higher short-term corticosteroid use and increased risk of long-term organ damage. Higher doses of corticosteroids should decrease disease activity in the short-term, while raising the risk of long-term organ damage. Relevant covariates identified included demographics, age at onset, cardiovascular comorbidities, baseline organ damage, history of lupus nephritis, and anti-malarial/other immunosuppressant use. Long-term outcomes include organ damage, mortality, HRQoL, and costs. By linking short- and long-term outcomes, this conceptual model provides a foundation on which to conduct future economic evaluations of new SLE therapies. The next step is to conduct a model validation using real world data.

Longitudinal study of short-term corticosteroid use by working-age adults with diabetes mellitus: Risks and mitigating factors.

This study assessed the frequency of short-term oral corticosteroid use in adults with diabetes, examined the incidence of fractures, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and hospitalization for sepsis after corticosteroid use, and evaluated whether preventative medications mitigated adverse events. A longitudinal study (2012-14) was conducted of 1 548 945 adults (aged 18-64 years) who received healthcare coverage through a large national health insurer. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated using conditional Poisson regression. Short-term oral corticosteroids were used by 23.9%, 20.8%, and 20.9% of adults with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and no diabetes, respectively, during the 3-year period (P < 0.001). Baseline risks of fracture, VTE, and sepsis were greater for individuals with than without diabetes (P < 0.001). The combined effect of having diabetes and using corticosteroids was greater than the sum of the individual effects (synergy indices of 1.17, 1.23, 1.30 for fracture, VTE, and sepsis, respectively). The IRR for VTE in the 5-30 days after corticosteroid use was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.41-5.45). Fractures increased in the 5-30 days after corticosteroid use (IRR 2.06; 95% CI 1.52, 2.80), but concomitant use of ergocalciferol mitigated this risk (IRR 1.13; 95% CI 0.12, 11.07). The risk of hospitalization for sepsis was elevated with corticosteroid use (IRR 3.79; 95% CI 2.05, 7.01), but was mitigated by the concomitant use of statins. Short-term oral corticosteroid use is common in adults with diabetes and is associated with an elevated, but low, risk of adverse events. The findings suggest that preventative medications may mitigate risk.

Short Term Use of Oral Corticosteroids and Related Harms Among Adults in the United States: Population Based Cohort Study: Walijee AK, Rogers MA, Lin P, et al. BMJ 2017;357:1415-1418

Corticosteroids are a widely prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. Long-term use of corticosteroids is usually avoided due to known risks of severe complications. The associated risks and complications of short-term corticosteroid use is not as well understood. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of outpatient prescriptions for short-term use of oral corticosteroids and the incidence of adverse outcomes.

Use of corticosteroids for pain control in cancer patients with bone metastases: a comprehensive literature review.

Despite a limited understanding of the exact mechanism, corticosteroids are commonly employed for pain control in patients with bone metastases. The aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroid-mediated pain control in patients with bone metastases associated with solid cancers. A literature search was conducted using OVID MEDLINE and Embase databases (from 1946 up to July 19, 2016). Studies involving patients with bone metastases receiving corticosteroids as the primary means of pain control were included. Screening and data extraction were conducted by paired reviewers, with consensus established by discussion, or a third adjudicator. A total of 12 studies were included. Rates of pain relief achieved with corticosteroid use varied from 30 to 70%, but generally reflected moderate pain control. Corticosteroid use significantly reduced the incidence of pain flare alongside radiotherapy, reportedly by almost half of baseline pain severity. Adverse events were not documented consistently across studies, though grade two to three hyperglycemia was noted in approximately 2% of patients by some studies. Recent evidence suggests that short-term corticosteroid use may provide moderate pain and pain flare control with radiotherapy for patients with bone metastases. The risk of developing adverse effects should be carefully considered prior to therapy initiation on a case-by-case basis.

Short-term corticosteroid use may be associated with increased risk of adverse events.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of serious adverse events associated with corticosteroid use, specifically fracture, sepsis and venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Do Corticosteroids Still Have a Role in the Management of Third Molar Surgery?

IntroductionThe use of corticosteroids to reduce the post-operative sequelae of lower third molar surgery, namely pain, swelling and trismus, has been well studied by many researchers over the past 6 decades. This study reviewed the reported outcome of corticosteroids used in controlling the above sequalae after third molar surgery.Materials and MethodsA PubMed, Medline, EMBASE and Google search was undertaken of all controlled clinical trials on the effects of corticosteroids on pain, swelling and trismus after lower third molar surgery. The review was limited to studies published over the last 10 years (2006–2015).ResultsOf the 46 initially retrieved articles, 34 were finally included. Eleven studies compared the effect of 2 similar (but different dose) or different group of corticosteroids. Thirty-one studies reported the effects of corticosteroids on all sequale, 2 reported the outcome on swelling and trismus and another 1 on swelling and pain only. In 16 of the studies, corticosteroid use resulted in significant reductions in pain after third molar removal. Twenty-two out of 29 studies reported reduced swelling against negative control while 18 out of 25 studies reported improved mouth opening. Fourteen studies reported the benefit of corticosteroids on all 3 sequelae, with 71.4% resulted from the use of methylprednisolone.ConclusionAlthough there are some conflicting effects, the results of this analysis shows in general the benefits derived from short-term use of corticosteroids in relation to pain, swelling and trismus following third molar surgical extraction, with no side effects observed.FundingThis work was supported by the University of Malaya’s High Impact Research grant UM.C/625/1/HIR/MOHE/05.

Long-term kidney survival analyses in IgA nephropathy patients under steroids therapy: a case control study.

BackgroundCorticosteroids are preferred to treat patients with active IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and beneficial effects from the short-term use of corticosteroids have been confirmed. However, a large number of patients will progress to end-stage renal disease after a long time follow-up. This study aimed to evaluate kidney disease progression and risk factors on kidney survival in IgAN patients receiving steroids treatment.MethodsTwo hundred biopsy-proven IgAN patients who received corticosteroid therapy were enrolled and followed for a median period of 63.33 months. Risk factors on kidney survival were retrospectively investigated by the Cox proportional hazards model.ResultsOf the two hundred patients, twenty patients showed progression of renal impairment at the end of follow-up. The median and interquartile range values for initial serum creatinine were 89.2 and 68.08–121.35 µmol/L, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that relapse, non-remission, time-averaged eGFR (TA-eGFR), and time-averaged serum albumin (TA-ALB) were independently associated with the kidney progression. Those with TA-ALB levels <35 g/L and TA-eGFR levels <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were less likely to recover from kidney progression. Patients were more likely to show kidney function deterioration, when they had non-remission or relapse after corticosteroids treatment.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that relapse, non-remission, TA-eGFR, and TA-ALB could serve as independent predictors of long term prognosis of IgAN patients receiving corticosteroid therapy.

A Fatal Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage From Colonic Mucormycosis After a Short Course of Steroids

We discuss a fatal infection with colonic mucormycosis in a patient with short-term corticosteroid use and no other form of immunosuppression. The patient was a 75-year-old woman admitted with an acute respiratory decompensation and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates of unclear etiology. When infectious etiologies were ruled out she was started on high-dose corticosteroids. On hospital day 23, the patient developed lower gastrointestinal bleeding and on colonoscopy she was found to have developed colonic ulcerations. Biopsy of these ulcerations demonstrated fungal forms consistent with invasive gastrointestinal mucormycosis. The patient refused surgery and after 10 days of aggressive antifungal therapy, she expired.

5: Allergy and the skin: eczema and chronic urticaria

Eczema is common, occurring in 15%-20% of infants and young children. For some infants it can be a severe chronic illness with a major impact on the child's general health and on the family. A minority of children will continue to have eczema as adults. The exact cause of eczema is not clear, but precipitating or aggravating factors may include food allergens (most commonly, egg) or environmental allergens/irritants, climatic conditions, stress and genetic predisposition. Management of eczema consists of education; avoidance of triggers and allergens; liberal use of emollients or topical steroids to control inflammation; use of antihistamines to reduce itch; and treatment of infection if present. Treatment with systemic agents may be required in severe cases, but must be supervised by an immunologist. Urticaria ("hives") may affect up to a quarter of people at some time in their lives. Acute urticaria is more common in children, while chronic urticaria is more common in adults. Chronic urticaria is not life-threatening, but the associated pruritus and unsightly weals can cause patients much distress and significantly affect their daily lives. Angioedema coexists with urticaria in about 50% of patients. It typically affects the lips, eyelids, palms, soles and genitalia. Management of urticaria is through education; avoidance of triggers and allergens (where relevant); use of antihistamines to reduce itch; and short-term use of corticosteroids when antihistamine therapy is ineffective. Referral is indicated for patients with resistant disease.

Effects of short‐term treatment with systemic prednisone on bone healing: an experimental study in rats

Long-term systemic use of corticosteroids causes osteoporosis and increased risk of fracture. However, the effect of short-term use of corticosteroids on bone healing is not well defined. The aim of the present study was to test the influence of short-term systemic corticosteroid therapy on bone healing. Standardized bone defects (2 mm diameter) were formed in the middle of the femur in 40 male rats. Rats were divided into two groups; control group (n = 20) and prednisone-treated group (n = 20). Subcutaneous injection of either sterile normal saline (control) or 0.020 mg kg(-1) dose of prednisone was administered just before surgery and thereafter daily for 3 days. Histopathological cross sections were taken 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between the prednisone group and the control group. No inhibitory effects were seen following short-term corticosteroid treatment.

Periorbitale Kontaktekzeme

Periorbital contact eczema is most commonly the result of an allergic contact dermatitis whereas other eczematous skin diseases like atopic eczema or seborrheic eczema occur less frequently. Also, other diseases like autoimmune disorders or rosacea need to be considered. Allergic contact dermatitis is a T-cell-mediated immunological response towards ubiquitous contact allergens. Activated T-cells migrate through the vessels into the skin and produce several inflammatory mediators. Epicutaneous patch testing is an important tool for the diagnosis of contact allergy whereby the allergens are analysed in terms of their ability to induce eczematous skin reaction. Until now the short-term use of corticosteroids are is employed for the treatment of allergic contact eczema. Modern substances with an optimal therapeutic index should rather be used.

Chronic Steroid and Immunosuppressant Therapy in Children

1. Abraham Gedalia, MD* 2. Avinash K. Shetty, MD† 1. *Professor of Pediatrics and Head, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Children’s Hospital, New Orleans, La 2. †Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the mechanism of action, list indications for therapy, and discuss the adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy in children. 2. Delineate the mechanism of action and adverse effects of other immunosuppressive agents frequently used in children. 3. Discuss the immunization recommendations for children receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Corticosteroids are the most potent, naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agents known. Despite more than 50 years of controversy regarding their clinical use, risks, and benefits, corticosteroids still play a significant role in the management of a wide variety of diseases. They have reduced the morbidity and mortality significantly in children afflicted with leukemia, asthma, rheumatic diseases, and other inflammatory disorders. In this article, we review the mechanism of action, clinical indications, and adverse effects of corticosteroids and other commonly used immunosuppressive agents in children. We also review immunization recommendations for children receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Corticosteroids have a diverse role in the human body at the physiologic level. The actions of glucocorticoids include: 1) negative feedback modulation of corticotropin-releasing factor and adrenocorticotropic hormone; 2) regulation of blood glucose and liver glycogen levels; 3) maintenance of water-electrolyte homeostasis; 4) influence on the metabolism of protein, fat, and purine; 5) maintenance of normal cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS), and renal functions; 6) influence on circadian rhythmicity; 7) maintenance of bone and muscle work capacity; and 8) protection of the body against moderate stress. Glucocorticoids also have pharmacologic properties that are used in the treatment of rheumatic and other inflammatory diseases. Cellular receptors for cortisol are ubiquitous in cell cytoplasm, reflecting the critical role of the hormone in maintaining cell homeostasis. The type 1 glucocorticoid receptor, known as the mineralocorticoid receptor, has high affinity for aldosterone. The type 2 glucocorticoid receptor, known as the glucocorticoid receptor, exhibits strong affinity for dexamethasone. Although …