Uveitis can be a sight-threatening eye disease with significant morbidity. Corticosteroids remain the mainstay of treatment of uveitis and provide an effective treatment against ocular inflammation. However, the various modes available for corticosteroid drug delivery can carry significant ocular and systemic side effects which can limit their use in the treatment of uveitis. In an effort to av...

OBJECTIVE To determine the safety and benefit of adjunctive systemic corticosteroid therapy in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS A systematic review of 11 randomized, comparative clinical trials published from 1959 to 1999 involving the use of prednisone, prednisolone and/or adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) in conjunction with standard anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. A total of 181...

BACKGROUND To suggest treatment modalities with respect to the specific requirements of head and neck sarcoidosis. METHODS Head and neck sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 31 patients. Treatment regimes comprised wait and see, corticosteroid-pulse, stable-dose corticosteroids, or adalimumab. RESULTS In all, 21 patients had isolated head and neck sarcoidosis and a further 8 patients showed concomi...

BACKGROUND Data examining the characteristics of patients with frequent exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and associated hospitalisations and mortality are scarce. METHODS Post-hoc analysis of the Prevention Of Exacerbations with Tiotropium in COPD (POET-COPD) trial, targeting exacerbations as the primary endpoint. Patients were classified as non-, infrequent, and ...

For the quite small international group of cardiologists specializing in diseases of the pericardium, the most vexing of these is recurrent pericarditis. Virtually never due to an identifiable microorganism or systemic disease (at least after the index attack), most patients have either recurrent pericardial effusions or, more often, extremely unpleasant, disabling chest pain which nearly alway...

Glucocorticoid (GC) drugs are the most potent anti-inflammatory agents available for the treatment of paediatric rheumatic diseases. These medications are used for the management of extra-articular features of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and are the mainstay of therapy in children with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, and systemic vasculitis. The gener...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether systemic corticosteroids are of benefit to patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS An English-language search of MEDLINE (1966 to February 2002) and the Cochrane Library and a bibliographic review was performed to identify published clinical trials of systemic corticosteroid administration in acute exacerbations...

BACKGROUND Cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac surgery are associated with a significant systemic inflammatory response that may increase postoperative complications. This meta-analysis assessed whether the benefits and risks of corticosteroid use were dose dependent in adult cardiac surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS Randomized controlled trials of the use of corticosteroid prophylaxis in adult car...

Ocular inflammation is a significant cause of ocular morbidity and visual impairment. Topical, periocular, intraocular, and systemic corticosteroids are highly effective for treating appropriate forms of ocular inflammation. However, their use may be constrained by local and/or systemic side effects, especially if long-term therapy is required. As a result, immunosuppressive agents increasingly...