We have located links that may give you full text access.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Oral betamethasone versus intramuscular dexamethasone for the treatment of mild to moderate viral croup: a prospective, randomized trial.
Pediatric Emergency Care 2006 August
OBJECTIVE: Intramuscular dexamethasone is an effective, but painful, treatment for croup. The effectiveness of betamethasone, an oral, palatable, and equally potent glucocorticoid has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a single oral dose of betamethasone with intramuscular dexamethasone in the outpatient treatment of mild to moderate croup.
METHODS: Children aged 6 months to 6 years presenting to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department (ED) with a modified Westley croup score of 0 to 11 were randomized to receive either 0.6 mg/kg IM dexamethasone or 0.4 mg/kg PO betamethasone. Croup score, heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry, and need for supplemental treatments were recorded at study entry and at 1, 2, and 4 hours after treatment. Follow-up data were collected by daily telephone follow-up on persistence of symptoms and the need for additional treatment or physician visits up to 7 days after the ED visit.
RESULTS: Each study group contained 26 patients. Despite randomization, the mean baseline croup score was higher in the dexamethasone group (3.6 +/- 2.6 vs. 2.0 +/- 2.4, P = 0.03). Patients in both groups showed a significant reduction in the croup score after treatment, and there were no significant differences between croup scores at 4 hours (P = 0.18). Similarly, there were no differences between groups in the hospital admission rate, time to resolution of symptoms, need for additional treatments, or number of return ED visits.
CONCLUSION: There is no difference between oral betamethasone and intramuscular dexamethasonein the management of mild to moderate viral croup. It is palatable and does not require a nurse for administration, making it a good alternative for ambulatory management.
METHODS: Children aged 6 months to 6 years presenting to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department (ED) with a modified Westley croup score of 0 to 11 were randomized to receive either 0.6 mg/kg IM dexamethasone or 0.4 mg/kg PO betamethasone. Croup score, heart rate, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry, and need for supplemental treatments were recorded at study entry and at 1, 2, and 4 hours after treatment. Follow-up data were collected by daily telephone follow-up on persistence of symptoms and the need for additional treatment or physician visits up to 7 days after the ED visit.
RESULTS: Each study group contained 26 patients. Despite randomization, the mean baseline croup score was higher in the dexamethasone group (3.6 +/- 2.6 vs. 2.0 +/- 2.4, P = 0.03). Patients in both groups showed a significant reduction in the croup score after treatment, and there were no significant differences between croup scores at 4 hours (P = 0.18). Similarly, there were no differences between groups in the hospital admission rate, time to resolution of symptoms, need for additional treatments, or number of return ED visits.
CONCLUSION: There is no difference between oral betamethasone and intramuscular dexamethasonein the management of mild to moderate viral croup. It is palatable and does not require a nurse for administration, making it a good alternative for ambulatory management.
Full text links
Related Resources
Trending Papers
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment.Clinical Research in Cardiology : Official Journal of the German Cardiac Society 2024 April 12
Proximal versus distal diuretics in congestive heart failure.Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation 2024 Februrary 30
Efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy in chronic insomnia: A review of clinical guidelines and case reports.Mental Health Clinician 2023 October
World Health Organization and International Consensus Classification of eosinophilic disorders: 2024 update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.American Journal of Hematology 2024 March 30
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.
By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Your Privacy Choices
You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now
Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university
For the best experience, use the Read mobile app