1. Nonantibiotic Adjunctive Therapies for Community-Acquired Pneumonia (Corticosteroids and Beyond): Where Are We with Them?
- Author
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Antoni Torres, Oriol Sibila, and Ana Rodrigo-Troyano
- Subjects
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,community-acquired pneumonia ,medicine.drug_class ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Population ,Antibiotics ,immunoglobulins ,Review Article ,Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ,Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine ,corticosteroids ,statins ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Community-acquired pneumonia ,Adrenal Cortex Hormones ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,education ,Intensive care medicine ,Mechanical ventilation ,education.field_of_study ,business.industry ,Pneumonia ,medicine.disease ,Surgery ,Community-Acquired Infections ,Hospitalization ,Clinical trial ,Treatment Outcome ,030228 respiratory system ,Adjunctive treatment ,Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ,business ,Adjuvant - Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Despite advances in antibiotic treatments, mortality among patients with CAP is still high. For this reason, interest has been focused on nonantibiotic therapeutic measures directed to the host response rather than the microorganism. The development of an efficacious adjunctive treatment has important implications for reducing mortality in CAP. Some clinical studies performed in the last decade have shown a clinically beneficial effect of corticosteroids, possibly by diminishing local and systemic inflammatory host response. Recent meta-analyses showed faster resolution of symptoms, shorter time to clinically stability, reduction of mechanical ventilation needed, and reduction of mortality in the most severe population, although some methodological limitations must be taken into account. In addition, some studies using statins also suggested improved outcomes due to its anti-inflammatory effect in CAP, although this requires further research. Other adjunctive therapies such as immunoglobulins and stem cells are being explored, but are not yet in the stage of clinical trials. In summary, the use of corticosteroids and other adjuvant treatments are promising in CAP, but more studies are needed to determine their impact on mortality.
- Published
- 2016
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