Treatment of status asthmaticus in children with high doses and conventional doses of methylprednisolone.

Twenty-one children who were admitted to the hospital with status asthmaticus were assigned randomly to one of two groups. Children in group A received methylprednisolone sodium succinate intravenously, 30 mg/sq m every six hours (conventional dose), and those in group B received methylprednisolone sodium succinate intravenously 300 mg/sq m every six hours, until they were no longer wheezing, or for a maximum of four days. There were no significant differences in the outcome between the two groups. We conclude that there is no extra advantage in giving massive doses of corticosteroids over conventional doses in the treatment of severe asthma attacks.