title: A single dose of dexamethasone to prevent postbronchoscopy fever in children: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of one dose of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg; maximum, 10 mg) to prevent fever after bronchoscopy with BAL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, placebo-controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunocompetent nonfebrile children undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy with BAL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine children were included in the study. Thirty-eight children received saline solution, and 31 children received dexamethasone. The two groups were similar regarding the number of children < 2 years old, the percentage of abnormal bronchoscopic findings, the number of positive BAL culture findings, and the index of lipid-laden macrophages. Twenty-six children (68%) in the saline solution group (SG) had fever, compared to 3 children (9.6%) in the dexamethasone group (DG) [p < 0.001]. Fever after the procedure appeared later (12.3 +/- 5.5 h) in the DG compared to 5.4 +/- 2.7 h in the SG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One dose of dexamethasone administered prior to performing bronchoscopy with BAL may prevent fever subsequent to the procedure. Further studies are necessary in order to determine the optimal dosing regimen for dexamethasone when used for this purpose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Picard@szmc.org.il
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Dov
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Virgilis
authors.forename: Shepard
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raveh
authors.forename: Eitan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kerem
mesh_terms: D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010919:Placebos; D003907:Dexamethasone