title: Alternate-day prednisone reduces morbidity and improves pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis.
abstract: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of alternate-day prednisone therapy on morbidity and progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). At baseline the patients (aged 1-12 years) had mild to moderate lung disease, and the prednisone group did not differ significantly from the placebo group for any values measured. After 4 years, the prednisone-treated group had significant advantages over the placebo group for height, weight, vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, peak flow rate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and serum IgG. The prednisone-treated group required 9 admissions to hospital for CF-related pulmonary disease compared with 35 for the placebo group. There were no steroid-induced side-effects. To rule out bias in case selection, 69 CF clinic patients comparable in age and clinical status but not included in the study were compared with the placebo group at 4 years; no significant differences between the groups were found.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Colten
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D011897:Random Allocation; D012119:Respiration; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011241:Prednisone