Corticosteroids have 'no benefit for bacterial meningitis'

Paediatric researchers have found that corticosteroids given to children with bacterial meningitis do not provide a survival benefit or reduce hospital stays.

The study was supported by the National Centre for Research Resources along with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and its finding appears in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Medical records of 2,780 children with bacterial meningitis were analysed from 27 US paediatric hospitals from 2001 to 2006.

Approximately nine per cent of the children received corticosteroids and results showed that there was no significant difference in mortality rate or length of hospital stay between those children who received corticosteroids and those who did not.

Samir Shah, study leader and infectious diseases specialist from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said: "Our study shows the need for a further study in children, a large randomised clinical trial to examine all outcomes of steroid use, before the use of these medicines becomes routine in children with bacterial meningitis."

According to NHS Direct, corticosteroids medicines are similar to hormones naturally produced in your body by adrenal glands and can be given in a variety of ways by injection, orally or as an ointment.

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