Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40148914›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of medical research2025

Glucocorticoids can reduce mortality in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Xue Gu, Penglei Yang, Lina Yu, Jun Yuan, Ying Zhang, Zhou Yuan, Lianxin Chen, Xiaoli Zhang, Qihong Chen

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026
    Article
  4. A case of severeRespiratory medicine case reports · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Xue Gu *Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Penglei Yang *Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Lina YuDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Jun YuanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Ying ZhangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Zhou YuanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Lianxin ChenDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Xiaoli ZhangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China.
Qihong ChenDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangdu People'S Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225200, Jiangsu, China. 18051063567@yzu.edu.cn.

Funding

Jiangsu Health Committee scientific research project Z2022008Social Development Funds of Yangzhou City YZ2021094
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSevere community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The use of glucocorticoids to improve the prognosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia remains a topic of controversy.

methodsFollowing the guidelines given in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of glucocorticoids on mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation in patients with sCAP. Randomized controlled studies investigating the use of glucocorticoids in the treatment of sCAP were extracted from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the differences in in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation duration, gastrointestinal bleeding, secondary infection, and other outcome measures between the glucocorticoid group and the control group.

resultsA total of 8 studies involving 1769 patients were included in the analysis. The hospital mortality in the glucocorticoid group was significantly lower than that in the control group [8 studies, relative risk (RR) 0.59; 95% CI 0.47-0.76, p < 0.01. I

conclusionGlucocorticoids can reduce mortality in patients with sCAP, and the effect may vary depending on the type and the dose of glucocorticoids used. Additionally, glucocorticoid treatment can lead to a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, as well as the length of ICU stay, without increasing the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding or secondary infection in patients with sCAP. PROSPERO registration: CRD42023416525.

Indexed as

Community-Acquired InfectionsGlucocorticoidsPneumoniaCommunity-Acquired PneumoniaHospital MortalityHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRespiration, ArtificialGlucocorticoidsCorticosteroidsMeta-analysisPneumoniaSevere community-acquired pneumonia

Identifiers

PMID40148914
PMCPMC11951802

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.