Corticosteroids in the Management of Laryngotracheobronchitis
Chairman's Comments: A growing body of clinical evidence obtained in a scientific manner is supporting the efficacy of corticosteroids for initial treatment of viral croup. Donald B. Hawkins, MD, a member of the Committee on Drugs—Otolaryngology and a faculty member of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Southern California, review the results of these studies in a scholarly manner. Dr Hawkins traces the development of the clinical experience with corticosteroids and clearly points out the differences between controls and treated patients in the respective studies. The Committee urges readers to review the articles and discuss the conclusions with their pediatric colleagues. The increased margin of safety afforded by the administration of corticosteroids to patients with laryngotracheobronchitis should be of interest to all physicians concerned with lowering the risk of airway obstruction in this common clinical disorder.