The Effectiveness of Using Prednisolone in Children with Community – Acquired Pneumonia

Abstract

Community-acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is an infection of the lung parenchyma that is acquired outside of hospital, [1] involved approximately 150 million new cases annually, among children younger than 5 years old worldwide. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of Prednisolone in 89 children with CAP who were admitted to the 2nd hospital of Shandong University (China) and Infectious diseases of Andijon region (Uzbekistan). The mean age was 6.3 in China (Placebo) and 9.3 in Uzbekistan (control) years, 54% and 52% of them were boys respectively. All children had received broad spectrum antibiotics (cephalosporin) or Macrolides (Azithromycin) and Oxygen. In addition to these we added Prednisolone 1 mg/kg on day 2 of admission to control group. 24 (68.5% from all febrile) children were became afebrile within 24 hours after Predisolone use on day 3 of admission, and their clinical status developed in control group, when it was achieved on day 7 in Placebo group. Hospital days also shortened in control group (6 days) than placebo (8 days) (p value ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, steroid therapy helpful for reducing hospital stay and morbidity in children with community-acquired Pneumonia and no observed side effects.