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In patients with respiratory infections and bronchial obstruction, corticosteroids — often given together with antibiotics — improve pulmonary function by means of their anti-obstructive and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the immunosuppressive action of corticosteroids is of potential concern in severe infectious processes.
In a single-center, retrospective, observational study, researchers in Barcelona examined the effects of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy on outcomes among adults with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The 308 patients involved were hospitalized between October 1, 2001, and December 31, 2003; 68.2% were categorized as pneumonia severity index (PSI) class IV and 31.8% as PSI class V. Streptococcus pneumoniae…