The effectiveness of glucocorticoids in treating croup: meta-analysis

Objective To determine the effectiveness of glucocorticoid treatment in children with croup. Design Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials that examine the effectiveness of glucocorticoid treatment in children with croup. Main outcome measures Score 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. Results Twenty 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. Conclusions Dexamethasone 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.