Do patients with community-acquired pneumonia benefit from systemic corticosteroids?
BEEM Bottom Line
Why is this study important?
Although systemic corticosteroids (SCS) provide benefit to many patients suffering from pulmonary and other diseases, there is an increased risk of adverse events, especially in the presence of bacterial infections. Pneumonia accounts for 2.2% of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States and results in approximately 7–8 ED visits per 1,000 persons per year.[1] Hence, any benefit from systemic corticosteroids (SCS) to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients without significant adverse effects could have an important impact on healthcare.
Which, if any, threats to validity are most likely to have an impact on the results and how?
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