Efficacy of corticosteroids in hospital treated community-acquired pneumonia

The Aim : The aim of the study was to eveluate benefical effect of corticosterides in short treatment of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Patients and Methods : We enrolled a total of 149 hospitalized patients, for a period of an year (Januay 2011 to Decembre 2011). The diagnose of CAP was made using standard clinical and radiological criteria. Disease severity was scored using Pneumonia Severity Index. Age, antibiotic treatment and PSI adjustement has been done between the groups. Patients received 50 mg prednisolone for 7 days, along with antibiotics. The outcomes were clinical cure at day seven, defervescence, length of stay, time to clinical stability, Results : Mean age of patients enrolled in study was 63±16.7 in prednisolone and 53±18.6 in group without prednisolone Therty (40 %) patients in prednisolone group and 16(22.2%) in without prednisolone group were in Peumonia Severity Index class IV-V. Clinical cure at days 7 was 61/75 (82.6%) in the prednisolone group and 44/72 (61.1%) in other group.[ P Conclusions : In this study we show that Prednisolone (at 50 mg) once daily for a short time, (a week), have a beneficial effects in patients hospitalized with mild to severe CAP, improving outcomes without adverse events.