Assessment of steroid responsiveness in patients with chronic airflow obstruction.
A simple steroid trial was conducted to assess whether 31 patients with chronic airflow obstruction would benefit from oral steroid therapy. Peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV1), and ratio of FEV1, to forced vital capacity (FVC) were monitored during a 6-month period (when patients were on maximum bronchodilator therapy), after 2 weeks on placebo and after 2 weeks on prednisolone 30 mg daily. Patients also measured that PEF at home thrice daily. None had a significant degree of steroid reversible airflow obstruction. The preliminary observation period (of at least 3 months) is important to prevent an improvement being attributed to steroids, when it has in fact occurred spontaneously or is the result of bronchodilator therapy or cessation of smoking.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014797:Vital Capacity
D011239:Prednisolone