SynthesisBMJ (Clinical research ed.)1999
The effectiveness of glucocorticoids in treating croup: meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 1999. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07232550 (Biomarkers and Respiratory Omics as New CHildren Opportunities - Study of Clinical Outcomes and Predictivity Evaluation - a Multi-cohort, Multi-center Study), which is not on this map. Cited by 23 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Biomarkers and Respiratory Omics as New CHildren Opportunities - Study of Clinical Outcomes and Predictivity Evaluation - a Multi-cohort, Multi-center Study
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 153 citations in OpenAlex.
- Nebulized epinephrine for croup in children: an updated systematic review.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Pooled it
- Glucocorticoids for croup in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Glucocorticoids for croup in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Parenteral dexamethasone for acute severe migraine headache: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials for preventing recurrence.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2008Pooled it
- Prednisolone versus dexamethasone in croup: a randomised equivalence trial.Archives of disease in childhood · 2006Trial
- Protective role ofCurrent research in physiology · 2021Article
- Prehospital dexamethasone administration in children with croup: a medical record review.Open access emergency medicine : OAEM · 2018Article
- Acute management of croup in the emergency department.Paediatrics & child health · 2017Article
- A Systematic Review and Comprehensive Critical Analysis Examining the Use of Prednisolone for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Croup.The open nursing journal · 2017Article
- Acute upper airway obstruction.Indian journal of pediatrics · 2011Review
- Respiratory viral infections in infants: causes, clinical symptoms, virology, and immunology.Clinical microbiology reviews · 2010Review
- Infections of the airway.Paediatric anaesthesia · 2009Review
- Croup in the paediatric emergency department.Paediatrics & child health · 2007Article
- A cluster randomized controlled trial comparing three methods of disseminating practice guidelines for children with croup [ISRCTN73394937].Implementation science : IS · 2006Article
- Effect of ribavirin and glucocorticoid treatment in a mouse model of human metapneumovirus infection.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2006Article
- Nebulised L-epinephrine and steroid combination in the treatment of moderate to severe croup.Clinical drug investigation · 2005Article
- Inappropriate use of anti-asthmatic drugs in the Italian paediatric population.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2003Article
- Management of croup.Paediatric drugs · 2002Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine the effectiveness of glucocorticoid treatment in children with croup.
designMeta-analysis of randomised controlled trials that examine the effectiveness of glucocorticoid treatment in children with croup.
main outcome measuresScore on scale measuring severity of croup, use of cointerventions (adrenaline (epinephrine), antibiotics, or supplemental glucocorticoids), length of stay in accident and emergency or in hospital, and rate of hospitalisation.
resultsTwenty four studies met the inclusion criteria. Glucocorticoid treatment was associated with an improvement in the croup severity score at 6 hours with an effect size of -1.0 (95% confidence interval -1.5 to -0.6) and at 12 hours -1.0 (-1.6 to -0.4); at 24 hours this improvement was no longer significant (-1.0, -2.0 to 0.1). There was a decrease in the number of adrenaline treatments needed in children treated with glucocorticoids: a decrease of 9% (95% confidence interval 2% to 16%) among those treated with budesonide and of 12% (4% to 20%) among those treated with dexamethasone. There was also a decrease in the length of time spent in accident and emergency (-11 hours, 95% confidence interval -18 to 4 hours), and for inpatients hospital stay was reduced by 16 hours (-31 to 1 hour). Publication bias seems to play a part in these results.
conclusionsDexamethasone and budesonide are effective in relieving the symptoms of croup as early as 6 hours after treatment. Fewer cointerventions are used and the length of time spent in hospital is decreased in patients treated with glucocorticoids.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.