Patients with acute respiratory distress should not receive steroid

摘要

Patients with persistent acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)do not benefit from the use of corticosteroid treatment,according to the authors of a new study(New England Journal of Medicine 2006;354:1671).Patients with ARDS of at least seven days'duration - characterised by inflammation,the accumulation of fluid in the lungs and the need for prolonged ventilation - were randomised to receive either methylpred-nisolone or placebo.Mortality rate at 60 days was not shown to be different between the two groups(treatment group 29.2 per cent versus placebo group 28.6 per cent;P=1.0).