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STUDY DESIGN
Design:
randomised placebo-controlled trial. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN58363576.
Allocation:
concealed.*
Blinding:
blinded (patients, parents, healthcare providers, and outcome assessors).*
STUDY QUESTION
Setting:
3 hospitals in the UK.
Patients:
700 children 10–60 months of age (mean age 26 mo, 64% boys) who presented to hospital with an attack of wheezing associated with a clinically diagnosed upper respiratory viral infection. Exclusion criteria included shock, bacterial sepsis, heart or lung disease, immunodeficiency or immunosuppressive therapy, and varicella infection or recent exposure.
Intervention:
oral prednisolone (10 mg/d if ⩽24 mo of age or 20 mg/d if >24 mo) once daily for 5 days (n = 343) or placebo (n = 344).† All patients received inhaled salbutamol as required and other …
Footnotes
Source of funding: Asthma UK.