Steroids after severe injury: many unanswered questions.

摘要

Even though the authors demonstrated a significant reduction in the rate of hospital-acquired pneumonia and a reduction in ventilator days, this study, with a sample size of 149 patients, was not adequately powered to assess the effects of steroid on mortality in this patient population. There was no statistical difference in mortality between the 2 treatment groups, although the absolute mortality was higher in the hydrocortisone group (6 deaths, 8.2% vs 4 deaths, 5.3%). Previous studies of steroid administration suggest the need for caution in the interpretation of these results.