Intravenously given methylprednisolone in refractory asthma.

A study was designed to compare the time course response of two high-dose methylprednisolone regimens in adult refractory corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics: Group A received 125 mg intravenously every six hours for three days; group B received 125 mg every six hours for ten days. Sixteen patients during 22 hospital stays were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expired volume in one second (FEV(1)) and forced expiratory flow between 25 percent and 75 percent of vital capacity (FEF(25%-75%)) improved significantly over the ten days in both groups (P<.005) in all patients. No differences in baseline two-, four-, seven- or ten-day spirometric values were noted between groups (P>.2). In most steroid-dependent asthmatic patients, three days' therapy with 125 mg every six hours of methylprednisolone given intravenously resulted in obvious and sustained ventilatory improvement. Close observation with spirometric and clinical evaluation is then necessary to detect the occasional patient in whom relapse will occur and longer periods of high-dose steroid therapy will be needed.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes