Researchers have found that a short course of corticosteroids to patients after they get discharged from hospital for an asthma attack reduces the chances of a relapse.
Researchers have found that a short course of corticosteroids to patients after they get discharged from hospital for an asthma attack reduces the chances of a relapse.
Giving the steroids also reduces their use of inhalers and the benefit lasts for about three weeks.The study was conducted by a team of researchers including Professor Brian Rowe and Carol Spooner as part of the Cochrane Systematic Review.
As part of the study, researchers analysed data in six trials that together involved 374 people.
The study found that between 12 percent and 16 percent of people who were discharged from hospital after having asthma attack had a relapse within two weeks.
“There is considerable debate about the best way of treating people who have asthma attacks, including the dose, method of delivery and timing of delivery of corticosteroids. Our research found clear evidence that people who arrived at a hospital with acute asthma and were well enough to be discharged benefited from the addition of corticosteroid therapy,” Rowe said.
“Our systematic review strongly supports the use of systemic corticosteroids for treatment of outpatients who leave hospital after an asthma attack,” Spooner said.
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