Systemic Corticosteroids in Children With Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Corticosteroids are effective adjunct treatment for certain infectious diseases. However, their role in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of adjunct corticosteroid therapy in pediatric CAP.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted on MEDLINE to retrieve studies assessing systemic corticosteroid therapy, given alongside antimicrobial regimens, in pediatric CAP (last search date December 31, 2024). Literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction were conducted by 2 independent reviewers. Heterogeneity and publication bias were detected by I2 and Egger's tests. The data were pooled using the random-effects model for the conduction of meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Twenty-two articles (N = 75.353) of 3799 screened studies were included in the systematic review; 7 of 22 studies providing data on length of hospital stay (LOS) and duration of fever for corticosteroid-treated versus control patients were included in the meta-analysis. Significant heterogeneity was observed regarding the regimen, dosage and duration of corticosteroid therapy. Regarding meta-analysis, LOS and time to defervescence were significantly decreased in patients receiving corticosteroids compared to controls in randomized clinical trials (Cohen's d value = -0.59, 95% confidence interval: -0.96 to -0.23, P = 0.001, I2 = 52.6%; Cohen's d value =-0.54, 95% confidence interval: -0.83 to -0.26, P <…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 75 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 associated with proton pump inhibitors: a nationwide cohort study with propensity score matching
- Penicillins for Treatment of Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Does In Vitro Resistance Really Matter?
- Thiophenes—Naturally Occurring Plant Metabolites: Biological Activities and In Silico Evaluation of Their Potential as Cathepsin D Inhibitors
- Inhalable Mannosylated Rifampicin–Curcumin Co-Loaded Nanomicelles with Enhanced In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy for an Optimized Pulmonary Tuberculosis Therapy
- Development and validation of microbial bioassay for quantification of Levofloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations
- Association between cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and respiratory tract infections in the first 6 months of age in a Korean population: a birth cohort study (COCOA)
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.