Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  1998 Sep;8(2):248-255.

The Effect of Nebulized Budesonide and Intreamuscular Dexamethasone in Patients with Moderate Group

• Lee SJ
• Lee HJ
• Hwang SJ
• Park EA
• Kim HS
• Lee SJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the effect f nebulized budensonide and intramuscular dexamethasone in relieving laryngeal obstruction of croup.
METHODS
Forty patients with moderate croup (croup scores of 3 to 7 out of 17) were randomly assigned to budesonide group [1 mg(2 ml) of nebulized budesonide, N=15], dexamethasone group [intramuscular dexamethasone(0.5 mg/kg) and nebulized saline, N=10] and control group(2 ml of nebulized saline, N=15). The changes of croup scores, heart rate, respiratory rate, and arterial oxygen saturation(SaO2) were observed at post-treatment of 2, 24, 36 and 48 hours. The duration of admission and the rates of improvement to the croup score of < or = 1 at the post-treatments were compared.
RESULTS
Croup scores at 12, 24 and 36 hours post treatments were 1.7+/-0.8, 1.1+/-0.7 and 0.8+/-0.7 in budensonide group and 2.2+/-0.7, 1.2+/-0.8 and 1.0+/-0.5 in dexamethasone group respectively, which were significantly lower rate, and SaO2 were not significantly different among the three groups. Improved rates to croup score of <1 in budesonide group at post-treatments of 12, 24, and 36 jpirs were 53%, 73% and 87%, which were significantly higher than 0%, 13%, and 47% in control group (p<0.05). Improved rate to croup score of < or = 1 in dexamethasone group was 60^ which was significantly hgier than 13% in control group only at post-treatment of 24 hours (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Nebulized budesonide and intramusculan dexamethasone are both effective in reducing obstructive symptoms in patients with moderate croup. The effect of nebulized budesonide was more rapid than that of intramuscular dexamethasone.

MeSH Terms

Budesonide*
Croup
Dexamethasone*
Heart Rate
Humans
Oxygen
Respiratory Rate
Budesonide
Dexamethasone
Oxygen