How effective are glucocorticoids for the treatment of croup in children?
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Why is this study important?
Croup is a common childhood cause of upper airway obstruction. Despite its self-limiting course, croup has a significant impact on emergency department (ED) resources due to the high number of visits and associated prolonged length-of-stay (LOS). This systematic review is an update of the 2011 Cochrane review that showed that glucocorticoids reduced symptoms of croup within 6 hours, reduced hospital admission rates, and ED LOS.[1] This updated review includes 5 new randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and it examines the effectiveness and the associated adverse events of glucocorticoids for croup.
Which, if any, threats to validity are most likely to have an impact on the results and how?
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