Inhaled steroids are as effective as systemic steroids in patients hospitalized for severe asthma, according to a randomized, double-blind trial reported in the Oct. 15 issue of Chest. The investigators suggest that after the first two days of intravenous steroids, there is no need to use systemic therapy.
“According to widely accepted guidelines, systemic corticosteroids are standard treatment for patients with severe asthma exacerbations who require hospitalization,” write Mary Lee-Wong, MD, and colleagues from Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, NY.
“The role of inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma requiring hospitalization is unclear.” Forty patients, aged 18 to 55 years, who were hospitalized for asthma exacerbation, all received eight doses of intravenous corticosteroids, followed by inhaled flunisolide via metered-dose inhaler (250 µg per activation), eight puffs twice daily, or systemic corticosteroids alone.
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