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ABSTRACT: Background
The objective of this study was to review the effects of adjunctive corticosteroids on overall mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation in HIV-infected patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and substantial hypoxemia (arterial oxygen partial pressure <70 mmHg or alveolar-arterial gradient >35 mmHg on room air).Methods
We conducted a systematic search of the literature for randomised trials published up to December 2004. Selected trials compared adjunctive corticosteroids with placebo or usual care in HIV-infected patients with PCP and reported mortality data. Two teams of reviewers independently evaluated the methodology and extracted data from each primary study.Results
Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Risk ratios for overall mortality for adjunctive corticosteroids were 0.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.79) at 1 month and 0.67 (95% CI, 0.49-0.93) at 3-4 months of follow-up. Numbers needed to treat, to prevent 1 death, are 9 patients in a setting without highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) available and 22 patients with HAART available. Only the 3 largest trials provided data on the need for mechanical ventilation with a risk ratio of 0.37 (95% CI, 0.20-0.70) in favour of adjunctive corticosteroids.Conclusion
The number and size of trials investigating adjunctive corticosteroids for HIV-infected patients with PCP is small, but our results suggest a beneficial effect for patients with substantial hypoxemia.
SUBMITTER: Briel M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1309617 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Briel Matthias M Boscacci Remy R Furrer Hansjakob H Bucher Heiner C HC
BMC infectious diseases 20051107
<h4>Background</h4>The objective of this study was to review the effects of adjunctive corticosteroids on overall mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation in HIV-infected patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and substantial hypoxemia (arterial oxygen partial pressure <70 mmHg or alveolar-arterial gradient >35 mmHg on room air).<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a systematic search of the literature for randomised trials published up to December 2004. Selected trials compared ad ...[more]