OBJECTIVETo investigate the off-label use of oral glucocorticoids in outpatients.

METHODSThe information of outpatient glucocorticoids prescriptions from January 1st to June 30th in 2012 were collected from the information system in our hospital, then the software of Excel was employed to statistically analyze the data including the amount of drugs used in different departments,as well as the age, sex, and diagnosis of the patients. The diagnoses were compared with those included in the labels approved by China Food and Drug Administration and US Food and Drug Administration and domestic and foreign guidelines.

RESULTSIt was found that 16.53% of the cases were off-label use,and dexamethasone had the highest proportion (60.50%) of off-label use. Most of the off-label use had evidence support, such as multiple myeloma and myasthenia gravis, while some cases did not, such as epilepsy and sudden deafness.

CONCLUSIONThe management of off-label use should be further strengthened to promote the safe and rational use of glucocorticoids.

Administration, Oral ; China ; Epilepsy ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Off-Label Use ; Outpatients

Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Sinusitis ; drug therapy

No Abstract available.
Triamcinolone Acetonide/*administration & dosage ; Radiculopathy/*drug therapy ; Lumbosacral Region ; Injections, Epidural ; Humans ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage ; Fluoroscopy

Administration, Oral ; Chronic Disease ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Sinusitis ; drug therapy

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic progressing disease in the elderly. In current there are many methods of drug treatment for knee osteoarthritis, the intra-articular injection belongs to local application, can direct effect on arthritis, is the most used and most effective methods in osteoarthritis treatment. A single medication may exist that anti-inflammatory effects produce a marked effect but articular cartilage injury is induced, or articular cartilage repairing are promoted but anti-inflammatory effects is not ideal. Therefore,the best method of treatment should be a comprehensive analysis of articular structure, function and possible pathogenic factor to understand the expectations of level of recovery and use in patients to design an individualized treatment plan.
Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Morphinans ; therapeutic use ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy

Child ; Dermatomyositis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Electromyography ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of topical corticosteroid for treatment of moderate or severe dry eye.

METHODSSixty eyes of 30 patients with moderate or severe dry eye, who were not sensitive to artificial tears, were treated with 0.1% fluorometholone eye drops. Subjective symptom and objective tests were used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment before and after application of 0.1% fluorometholone eye drops for 1 week and 1 month. Side effects were also evaluated.

RESULTSAfter 1 week of treatment, subjective symptoms were improved in all dry eye patients; objective tests were improved in all dry eye patients 1 month after treatment, and the difference was significant.

CONCLUSIONTopical corticosteroid drops can rapidly and effectively relieve the symptoms and signs of moderate or severe dry eye.

Administration, Topical ; Adult ; Dry Eye Syndromes ; drug therapy ; Female ; Fluorometholone ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis (AIP) is a clinically attractive entity because of its dramatic response to steroid therapy. But the long-term results after steroid therapy have not been reported yet in Korea. The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term results and prognosis after steroid therapy in patients with AIP. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, radiologic, and laboratory features and evaluated clinical outcomes in 19 patients with AIP who have been treated with oral corticosteroid. All patients were initially treated with prednisolone (30-40 mg/d) for 1 or 2 months. After the confirmation of clinical improvement in radiologic imaging and laboratory findings, the daily dose of prednisolone was then gradually tapered by 5-10 mg per month to the maintenance dose (2.5-7.5 mg/d). RESULTS: All the patients showed normalization or marked improvement in symptoms, laboratory and imaging findings after steroid therapy. There were 4 cases (21%) of recurrence during the mean follow-up period of 27 months. All the patients with recurrence responded to oral steroid again. Among the 10 patients with diabetes mellitus, seven patients were able to stop or reduce the medication for diabetes after completion of steroid therapy. The biliary stents were additionally inserted in 10 patients who showed distal common bile duct stricture and obstructive jaundice. The accompanying autoimmune diseases were also improved with oral corticosteroid. CONCLUSIONS: Steroid therapy is very effective for AIP and is also effective in the cases of recurrence. A definitive protocol of steroid therapy for AIP should be established in the future.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Autoimmune Diseases/*drug therapy ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/*drug therapy/immunology ; Prednisolone/*administration & dosage ; Recurrence

Chemotherapy with traditional standard dose or autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) after chemotherapy with high dose have some remission effect for multiple myeloma, but relapse still exists. The maintenance treatment would prolonged the remission stage. These treatments included the use of alkylating agent, interferon, corticosteroids, thalidomide and so on. Every maintenance treatment has some advantages and some side effects. The truly effective maintenance treatment would not only minimize the harm of the disease, but also would prolong the overall survival, progression-free survival and the event-free survival. This article summarizes the current progress in the maintenance treatments for multiple myeloma.
Alkylating Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Interferons ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Multiple Myeloma ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoid in initial treatment of sudden hearing loss with intratympanic (IT) and systemic ways. METHOD: We searched the database of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase,CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang systematically. Literatures were screened according to the preestablished inclusion and exclusion standards,and all the RCT literatures associated with intratympanic and systemic glucocorticoid in the initial treatment of sudden hearing loss before may 2015 were collected. All the data, which meet the inclusion standards, were analyzed by using Meta-analysis software. RESULT: Among all the qualified literatures, 11 randomized controlled trials were included. A total of 1298 cases were involved, including 521 cases with intratympanic administration, 410 with IV-therapy, and 201 with oral therapy. Meta analysis results showed that there was significant difference of the total effective rate and improvement rate between the intratympanic and systemic administration. Intratympanic injection (P > 0.05) was more effective than systemic administration. There was no significant difference between intratympanic group and oral group (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.92-1.42, P > 0.05). A significant difference of the effective rate occurred between intratympanic group and IV therapy group (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02-1.34, P < 0.05). The major complications of intratympanic were pain, dizziness/vertigo, which occurred more frequently than systemic therapy group; The major complications of systemic therapy group were hyperglycaemia, loss of appetite and insomnia. CONCLUSION This study shows that the intratympanic (IT) glucocorticoid for sudden deafness is more effective than the systemic administration. But it was not the first choice in clinical treatment. Further studies are warranted.
Administration, Oral ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Injection, Intratympanic ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome