Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Jun 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyAn Exploratory Reanalysis of the Randomized Trial on Efficacy of Corticosteroids as Rescue Therapy for the Late Phase of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
In the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network randomized controlled trial, methylprednisolone treatment was associated with increased return to mechanical ventilation with partial loss of early improvements. We hypothesize a causal relationship between protocol-driven rapid discontinuation of methylprednisolone post extubation and return to mechanical ventilation. To explore this possibility, we investigated the timing that events occurred in each treatment arm during active treatment intervention (efficacy) and after stopping therapy. ⋯ During active intervention, methylprednisolone was safe and effective in achieving disease resolution. Our findings support rapid glucocorticoid discontinuation post extubation as likely cause of disease relapse. Gradual tapering might be necessary to preserve the significant improvements achieved during methylprednisolone administration.