Effect of Oral Prednisolone on Symptom Duration and Severity in Nonasthmatic Adults With Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infection: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Acute lower respiratory tract infection is common and often treated inappropriately in primary care with antibiotics. Corticosteroids are increasingly used but without sufficient evidence.

Objective

To assess the effects of oral corticosteroids for acute lower respiratory tract infection in adults without asthma.

Design, setting, and participants

Multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized trial (July 2013 to final follow-up October 2014) conducted in 54 family practices in England among 401 adults with acute cough and at least 1 lower respiratory tract symptom not requiring immediate antibiotic treatment and with no history of chronic pulmonary disease or use of asthma medication in the past 5 years.

Interventions

Two 20-mg prednisolone tablets (n =

SUBMITTER: Hay AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5817483 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature