Efficacy of small single dose of intramuscular dexamethason in children with croup in al najaf

الملخص EN

Steroid use for the treatment of croup has been supported by several studies.

The efficacy of 0.15 mg/kg single im.

injection and 0.6 mg/kg single im.

injection of dexamethasone in the outpatient treatment of mild/moderate to moderate croup is compared in this study.

90 patients diagnosed with croup in the emergency department (ED) at the Al-Zahraa Hospital for Children and Al-Hakeem General Hospital in AL-Najaf and many pediatric clinics were eligible for study enrollment in a period between December 2005 to August 2006, 45 pt.

received single IM of 0.15mg/kg dexamethasone and other 45 pt.

received single IM of 0.6mg/kg dexamethasone.

There were 49 patients(54.4%) were male and 41 patients(45.6%) were female.

results of group B(0.6mg/kg) in which symptoms worse than the initial visit were zero, symptoms the same as the than initial visit were zero, symptoms better than the initial visit 15(16.6%), resolution of all signs and symptoms 30(33.3%) while that of group A(0.15mg/kg) in which symptoms worse than the initial visit were zero, symptoms the same as the than initial visit were1(1.1%), symptoms better than the initial visit 19(21.1%), resolution of all signs and symptoms25(27%).

The time of response of group B was shorter than that of group A.

In which it in 1st 24hrs.

for group 19 pt.(21.1%) versus 12 pt.

(13.3%) for group A.