title: Corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy in treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
abstract: 10 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome whose respiratory failure due to Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was deteriorating rapidly had 7 days of intravenous methylprednisolone added to their antibiotic regimen. 8 similar patients were treated with antibiotic therapy alone. 9 of the 10 methylprednisolone-treated patients survived their episode of PCP, compared with 2 of the 8 conventionally treated patients. Clinical improvement was evident within 2 days of the start of steroid therapy, and in none of the 10 patients did clinical deterioration or recurrence of PCP occur on cessation of steroid therapy. In 1 steroid-treated patient disseminated herpes zoster developed 2 days after discontinuation of methylprednisolone. Methylprednisolone seems to be a useful adjunctive therapeutic agent for patients with AIDS in whom Pneumocystis carinii is the sole respiratory pathogen.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D008775:Methylprednisolone