title: Varicella pneumonia: another 'steroid responsive' pneumonia?
abstract: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pneumonitis remains an often-fatal complication of VZV infection. Antiviral agents and supportive care are widely accepted therapies. Cautious use of corticosteroids in life-threatening VZV pneumonitis may be justified. Appropriate patient selection factors are as yet unidentified and the decision to commence corticosteroid therapy in this setting is clinical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Q A A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Adhami
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D000212:Acyclovir; D008775:Methylprednisolone