Author, year [reference] | Type of patient | Patients | RCTs | Findings |
Siempos, 2008 [16] | CAP with any severity (only studies for severe CAP were found) | 189 | 4 | Limited data suggest that corticosteroid treatment lowers mortality and shortens length of hospital stay for severe CAP |
Salluh, 2010 [13] | Severe CAP | 415 | 3 | Do not recommend corticosteroids for severe CAP |
Chen, 2011 [17] | Any type of pneumonia including nosocomial and child pneumonia | 437 | 6 | Corticosteroids are generally beneficial for pneumonia Evidence to make recommendation is lacking |
Nie, 2012 [18] | CAP with any severity | 1001 | 9 | Corticosteroids are not recommended for CAP in general; however, it is possible that corticosteroids lower mortality from severe CAP and that corticosteroid treatment >6 days may be more beneficial than ≤5 days |
Cheng, 2014 [15] | Severe CAP | 264 | 4 | Limited evidence suggests that corticosteroid treatment lowers mortality from severe CAP |
Shafiq, 2013 [14] | CAP requiring admission | 1119 | 8 | Corticosteroids shorten length of hospital stay Corticosteroids do not lower mortality |
Horita, 2015 [19] | CAP requiring admission | 1780 | 10 | Corticosteroids shorten length of hospital stay for CAP Corticosteroids shorten length to clinical stability for CAP Corticosteroids lower mortality for CAP in ICU Corticosteroids ≥6 days is not more effective |
Stern, 2017 [20] | Any type of pneumonia including nosocomial and child pneumonia | 2264 | 17 | Corticosteroids reduced mortality and morbidity in adults with severe CAP Corticosteroids reduced morbidity, but not mortality, for adults and children with nonsevere CAP Corticosteroids were associated with more adverse events, especially hyperglycaemia |
Briel, 2018 [21] | CAP in Europe between 2000 and 2014 | 1506 (individual data analysis) | 6 | Corticosteroid treatment shortens time to clinical stability and length of hospital stay Corticosteroid treatment does not lower mortality Corticosteroids increased risk for CAP-related rehospitalisation and hyperglycaemia |
Jiang, 2019 [22] | Severe CAP | 665 | 10 | Corticosteroids decreased all-cause mortality, incidence of septic shock and requirement for mechanical ventilation Low dose (≤86 mg·day−1), prolonged use (>5 days) of corticosteroids in dosage modus of a maintenance dose after a bolus can be recommended as preferred regimen |
Data are presented as n. RCT: randomised controlled trial; ICU: intensive care unit.