Stopped: insufficient number of participants met the enrollment criteria.
Asthma is the most common chronic disease of children. A short (3-5 day) course of a short-acting steroid such as Prednisone or Prednisolone has long been the standard of care for asthma exacerbation. Dexamethasone efficacy in asthma exacerbation has been studied in the outpatient setting and was found to be as effective as Prednisone. Dexamethasone has the advantage of shorter course, more compliance, and more tolerable. This has led many emergency departments to provide a 1-2 dose course of Dexamethasone on discharge. Thus, many inpatients have received a first dose of Dexamethasone prior to reaching the inpatient unit, leading to confusion about the best plan for these patients. Many hospitalist pediatricians continue to give a 5-day total course with Prednisone, but some patients have begun to receive a second dose of Dexamethasone 24 hours after the first dose. To our knowledge, no studies have been done to compare the efficacy of these two protocols in pediatric patients requiring hospitalization. The hypothesis is that a second dose of Dexamethasone is as effective as four additional days of Prednisone in hospitalized children with asthma exacerbation. This is an open label, randomized control study comparing these treatments in children age 2-18 hospitalized with asthma exacerbation who have received a first dose of Dexamethasone.
Age range
2 Years – 18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Return to normal activity (Patient Self-Assessment Score)
Timeframe: 3 days after discharge