Steroids Won't Help Common Respiratory Infection in Infants

The hospitalization rate was similar to a placebo, new research finds

By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter

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WEDNESDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- A commonly prescribed steroid called dexamethasone is no more effective in infants with the lower respiratory tract infection bronchiolitis than a placebo, new research suggests.

The study found no statistically significant differences in the rates of hospitalization and in measures of respiratory health between a group of infants given dexamethasone, which can incur side effects, and a group given a placebo.

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"For young infants with bronchiolitis with first-time wheezing, we'd hope that the results of this study would lead physicians not to use corticosteroids," said the study's lead author, Dr. Nathan Kuppermann, chairman of the department of emergency medicine at the University of California, Davis. "Why incur the risk of side effects if the medication isn't effective?"

Results of the study are published in the July 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Kuppermann was quick to point out that this study's findings do not mean that corticosteroids don't have a place in the treatment of other airway diseases. For example, corticosteroids are an often-used and effective treatment for asthma.

Bronchiolitis is a common respiratory infection in children and is the leading cause of hospitalizations for infants in the United States. Each year, as many as 100,000 infants are hospitalized due to bronchiolitis, according to the study. There are numerous causes of bronchiolitis, and one of the most common is infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Treatment options for bronchiolitis are few, and the most common care provided by doctors or hospitals is supportive care, such as extra oxygen. Because corticosteroids are an effective treatment for other respiratory diseases, doctors have used these drugs to treat bronchiolitis as well, although past research hasn't provided clear evidence that they work.

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