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Evidence summaries

Corticosteroids for Children Who have Ingested a Corrosive Substance

Corticosteroids appear not to prevent oesophageal injury caused by corrosive substances. Level of evidence: "B"

In a randomized, controlled study 1 60 children who had ingested a corrosive substance received either prednisolone 2 mg/kg intravenously in the beginning, and perorally for a total of three weeks, or no treatment. Endoscopy was performed on all children within 24 hours, and a control endoscopy and barium examination were performed on children who had moderate or severe corrosion injury at the first endoscopy. An oesophageal injury developed in 10/31 children in the prednisolone group and 11/29 children in the control group (NS). Four children in the steroid group and seven children in the control group needed reconstructive surgery (p > 0.05).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by sparse data.

    References

    • Anderson KD, Rouse TM, Randolph JG. A controlled trial of corticosteroids in children with corrosive injury of the esophagus. N Engl J Med 1990 Sep 6;323(10):637-40. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords