SynthesisPediatrics2014
Dexamethasone for acute asthma exacerbations in children: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Pediatrics, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 46 papers, 2 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.
Single Dose Dexamethasone is as Effective as Two Doses in Mild to Moderate Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations in the Emergency Department
Oral Dexamethasone Versus Oral Prednisone in Children Hospitalized With Asthma: A Randomized Control Study
Ideal Steroids for Asthma Treatment in the PICU (iSTAT PICU): A Prospective, Comparative, Single-arm Study Assessing Dexamethasone Versus Methylprednisolone in Severe Status Asthmaticus Admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Giving Asthmatics Intramuscular Steroids for Preventing Return to the Emergency Department: A Randomized Control Trial
Who cites it
46 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 127 citations in OpenAlex.
- Oral Dexamethasone vs. Oral Prednisone for Children With Acute Asthma Exacerbations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2019Pooled it
- Different oral corticosteroid regimens for acute asthma.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- A Randomized Controlled Study Addressing Dexamethasone Tolerability in the Treatment of Acute Asthma in Children: Mary Poppins on Trial!Journal of pharmacy practice · 2023Trial
- Two regimens of dexamethasone versus prednisolone for acute exacerbations in asthmatic Egyptian children.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2020Trial
- State of art of oral corticosteroids in children with acute asthma and wheezing.Italian journal of pediatrics · 2026Review
- Variation in Systemic Corticosteroid Prescribing for Asthma Exacerbations at Children's Hospitals.Hospital pediatrics · 2026Article
- Article
- Exacerbation of Asthma Among Pediatric Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Management of asthma exacerbations in pediatric emergency departments across the United States.The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma · 2025Article
- Article
- Toll-like receptor activation induces airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs.Respiratory research · 2024Article
- Impact of a discharge prescription for dexamethasone on outcomes of children treated in the emergency department for acute asthma exacerbations.The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma · 2024Article
- Vandetanib as a prospective anti-inflammatory and anti-contractile agent in asthma.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Article
- Duloxetine HCl Alleviates Asthma Symptoms by Regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathways.Inflammation · 2023Article
- Article
- Trends and Variation in Pediatric Anaphylaxis Care From 2016 to 2022.The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice · 2023Article
- Study on the Mechanism of Qing-Fei-Shen-Shi Decoction on Asthma Based on Integrated 16S rRNA Sequencing and Untargeted Metabolomics.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2023Article
- Evaluation of Dexamethasone Dosing Strategies in Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations.The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG · 2023Article
- Effects of Pre-Hospital Dexamethasone Administration on Outcomes of Patients with COPD and Asthma Exacerbation; a Cross-Sectional Study.Archives of academic emergency medicine · 2023Article
- Effectiveness of single dose oral dexamethasone versus multidose prednisolone for treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma among children.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectiveDexamethasone has been proposed as an equivalent therapy to prednisone/prednisolone for acute asthma exacerbations in pediatric patients. Although multiple small trials exist, clear consensus data are lacking. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether intramuscular or oral dexamethasone is equivalent or superior to a 5-day course of oral prednisone or prednisolone. The primary outcome of interest was return visits or hospital readmissions.
methodsA search of PubMed (Medline) through October 19, 2013, by using the keywords dexamethasone or decadron and asthma or status asthmaticus identified potential studies. Six randomized controlled trials in the emergency department of children ≤18 years of age comparing dexamethasone with prednisone/prednisolone for the treatment of acute asthma exacerbations were included. Data were abstracted by 4 authors and verified by a second author. Two reviewers evaluated study quality independently and interrater agreement was assessed.
resultsThere was no difference in relative risk (RR) of relapse between the 2 groups at any time point (5 days RR 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-1.78, Q = 1.86, df = 3, I2 = 0.0%, 10-14 days RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.77-1.67, Q = 0.84, df = 2, I2 = 0.0%, or 30 days RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.03-56.93). Patients who received dexamethasone were less likely to experience vomiting in either the emergency department (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.12-0.69, Q = 3.78, df = 3, I2 = 20.7%) or at home (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.74, Q = 2.09, df = 2, I2 = 4.2%).
conclusionsPractitioners should consider single or 2-dose regimens of dexamethasone as a viable alternative to a 5-day course of prednisone/prednisolone.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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.