Table 2.
Characteristics of the patients exposed to corticosteroids included in the study
| Patient | Age range (years) |
Indication | Drug | Daily dose, mg | Duration | Comorbidities | Clinical finding | Biological findings |
Chest CT-scan severity score | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 31–40 | Multiple myeloma | Dexamethasone | 40 | 3 months | Overweight, cancer, multiple myeloma | – | – | Moderate | No |
| #2 | 61–70 | Crohn disease | Prednisolone | NA | Long-term | Overweight, chronic lung disease, Crohn disease | Need of oxygen |
Lymphopenia, C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L |
Severe | ICU, mechanical ventilation, death |
| #3 | 81–90 | Horton disease | Prednisolone | 2.5 | Long-term | Hypertension, coronaropathy, diabetes | SaO2 ≤ 92% |
Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L |
Severe | Death |
| #4 | 71–80 | Glioblastoma | Prednisone | 20 | 1 year | Malignancy | – | Lymphopenia | Moderate | Death |
| #5 | 51–60 | Bronchitis | Prednisolone | 60 | 4 days | Overweight, hypertension | – | – | Moderate | No |
| #6 | 81–90 | Sarcoidosis | Prednisone | 20 | 4 days | Overweight, hypertension, sarcoidosis, sleep apnea | SaO2 ≤ 92% | C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L | Moderate | No |
| #7 | 61–70 | Renal transplant | Prednisone | 5 | 7 years | Overweight, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, renal transplant | – | Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia | Moderate | ICU |
| #8 | 41–50 | Cardiac transplant | Prednisone | 5 | 11 years | Cardiac surgery, cardiac transplant | – | – | Absence | No |
| #9 | 81–90 | Giant cell arteritis | Prednisone | 3 | 4 years | Obesity, hypertension, heart failure, coronaropathy, sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, giant cell arteritis | SaO2 ≤ 92% |
Lymphopenia, C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L |
Moderate | ICU, Death |
| #10 | 91–100 | Lymphoma | Prednisolone | 60 | 8 months | Chronic lung disease, diabetes, lymphoma | – | Lymphopenia | Moderate | No |
| #11 | 21–30 | Crohn disease | Prednisolone | 25 | 5 months | Immunosuppression | – | C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L | Moderate | No |
| #12 | 71–80 | Oesophageal adenocarcinoma | Betametasone | 0.4 (30 drops) | 3 months | Overweight, coronaropathy, sleep apnea, malignancy | – | Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, | Moderate | ICU |
| #13 | 71–80 | Renal transplant | Prednisone | 5 | 5 months | Hypertension, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, diabetes, renal transplant | – |
Lymphopenia, C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L |
Moderate | ICU, mechanical ventilation |
| #14 | 61–70 | Renal transplant | Prednisone | 5 | 2 years | Hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, renal transplant | – | Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, | Moderate | ICU, mechanical ventilation |
| #15 | 71–80 | Rheumatoid arthritis | NA | NA | 6 weeks | Hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis | – | Lymphopenia | Moderate | No |
| #16 | 61–70 | Sarcoidosis | Prednisone | 6.5 | 1 year | Obesity, hypertension, COPD, sarcoidosis | – | Lymphopenia | Mild | ICU, death |
| #17 | 81–90 | Dermatomyositis | Prednisone | 70 | 1 month | Hypertension, lung fibrosis, malignancy dermatomyositis | Need of oxygen |
Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, C-reactive protein ≥50 mg/L |
Severe | Death |
Abbreviation: COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, NA Not available