Do Glucocorticoids Relieve Symptoms of Croup?
Every year, croup affects up to 6 percent of children younger than six years of age. Approximately one third of these patients require hospitalization, and almost all require treatment in emergency departments and ambulatory clinics. The standard treatment of children with acute croup includes therapy with humidified air, although no evidence exists to show that this is effective, and epinephrine, which has been shown to provide temporary relief. Glucocorticoid therapy has shown some benefit, and interest in this agent is increasing. Ausejo and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials of glucocorticoid therapy in children with croup to determine its efficacy and clarify areas for research. They identified studies conducted between January 1966 and August 1997 by searching databases, conducting follow-up on references of published trials and contacting researchers directly. Two researchers reviewed all studies for potential relevance. Two reviewers then i
