1
|
Lee B, Turner S, Borland M, Csonka P, Grigg J, Guilbert TW, Jartti T, Oommen A, Twynam-Perkins J, Lewis S, Cunningham S. Efficacy of oral corticosteroids for acute preschool wheeze: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. THE LANCET. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2024; 12:444-456. [PMID: 38527486 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-2600(24)00041-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral corticosteroids are commonly used for acute preschool wheeze, although there is conflicting evidence of their benefit. We assessed the clinical efficacy of oral corticosteroids by means of a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. METHODS In this systematic review with IPD meta-analysis, we systematically searched eight databases (PubMed, Ovid Embase, CINAHLplus, CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, EudraCT, EU Clinical Trials Register, WHO Clinical Trials Registry) for randomised clinical trials published from Jan 1, 1994, to June 30, 2020, comparing oral corticosteroids with placebo in children aged 12 to 71 months with acute preschool wheeze in any setting based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes framework. We contacted principal investigators of eligible studies to obtain deidentified individual patient data. The primary outcome was change in wheezing severity score (WSS). A key secondary outcome length of hospital stay. We also calculated a pooled estimate of six commonly reported adverse events in the follow-up period of IPD datasets. One-stage and two-stage meta-analyses employing a random-effects model were used. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020193958. FINDINGS We identified 16 102 studies published between Jan 1, 1994, and June 30, 2020, from which there were 12 eligible trials after deduplication and screening. We obtained individual data from seven trials comprising 2172 children, with 1728 children in the eligible IPD age range; 853 (49·4%) received oral corticosteroids (544 [63·8%] male and 309 [36·2%] female) and 875 (50·6%) received placebo (583 [66·6%] male and 292 [33·4%] female). Compared with placebo, a greater change in WSS at 4 h was seen in the oral corticosteroids group (mean difference -0·31 [95% CI -0·38 to -0·24]; p=0·011) but not 12 h (-0·02 [-0·17 to 0·14]; p=0·68), with low heterogeneity between studies (I2=0%; τ2<0·001). Length of hospital stay was significantly reduced in the oral corticosteroids group (-3·18 h [-4·43 to -1·93]; p=0·0021; I2=0%; τ2<0·001). Subgroup analyses showed that this reduction was greatest in those with a history of wheezing or asthma (-4·54 h [-5·57 to -3·52]; pinteraction=0·0007). Adverse events were infrequently reported (four of seven datasets), but oral corticosteroids were associated with an increased risk of vomiting (odds ratio 2·27 [95% CI 0·87 to 5·88]; τ2<0·001). Most datasets (six of seven) had a low risk of bias. INTERPRETATION Oral corticosteroids reduce WSS at 4 h and length of hospital stay in children with acute preschool wheeze. In those with a history of previous wheeze or asthma, oral corticosteroids provide a potentially clinically relevant effect on length of hospital stay. FUNDING Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bohee Lee
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Steve Turner
- Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Meredith Borland
- Perth Children's Hospital Emergency Department and Divisions of Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, WA, Australia
| | - Péter Csonka
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Terveystalo Healthcare, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jonathan Grigg
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Theresa W Guilbert
- Division of Pulmonology Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Tuomas Jartti
- Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland; PEDEGO Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Department of Pediatrics, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Abraham Oommen
- Department of Paediatrics, Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Jonathan Twynam-Perkins
- Department of Child Life and Health, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steff Lewis
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Usher Institute, and Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steve Cunningham
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Child Life and Health, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Saglani S, Fleming L, Sonnappa S, Bush A. Advances in the aetiology, management, and prevention of acute asthma attacks in children. THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2019; 3:354-364. [PMID: 30902628 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(19)30025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Acute attacks of wheeze or asthma are among the most common reasons for paediatric hospital attendance, and the incidence of severe attacks in the UK is among the highest in Europe. Although most attacks are driven by infection, there are important differences in the underlying pathophysiology of asthma and wheeze between preschool and school-aged children. Allergen sensitisation, airway eosinophilia, and type 2 inflammation predominate in older children, whereas phenotypes in preschool children are variable, often including non-atopic episodes driven by neutrophilic infection. Currently, a universal approach is adopted towards management, but there is a need to make objective assessments of airway function, inflammation, and infection, both during the attack and during stable periods, to identify treatable traits and to target therapy if outcomes are to be improved. An assessment of the risk factors that led to the attack and early, focused follow-up are essential to ensure attacks never occur again.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sejal Saglani
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Respiratory Paediatrics, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
| | - Louise Fleming
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Respiratory Paediatrics, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Samatha Sonnappa
- Department of Respiratory Paediatrics, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Andrew Bush
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Respiratory Paediatrics, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|