ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

Corticosteroids are widely used for many clinical conditions in pediatric practice. Although the adverse effects arising from the use of chronic corticosteroids are well-known, there is less awareness regarding the side effects emerging from use in short period. We aimed at evaluating the measurements of pre- and post-drug blood pressure and pulse rates in the patients treated with low, medium, and high doses of corticosteroids. To define the clinical reflections of corticosteroid treatment, we compared the findings of those treated with and without corticosteroids.

METHODS:

Patients between 0-16 years of age who received corticosteroid treatment for acute viral bronchiolitis and nephrotic syndrome were included in the study. Patients were divided into three subgroups with respect to corticosteroid doses. The control group consisted of patients who did not receive corticosteroid treatment.

RESULTS:

While there was difference between pre-drug and post-drug mean pulse rates in control group and group-I and group-II in the steroid group; there was no difference in group-III who received pulse corticosteroid therapy. No evident cardiac dysrhythmia was observed in any group.

DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION:

Our study showed that there is no direct causal relationship between corticosteroid use and cardiac dysrhythmias. It is likely that dysrhythmias developing after corticosteroid treatment are multifactorial. So, more comprehensive studies must be performed before any judgment is reached in this topic. Whatever the reason, particularly patients with liver disease and those with cardiac pathology or taking cardiac drug must be closely monitored regarding dysrhythmias. It is important to be aware that corticosteroids can precipitate cardiac dysrhythmias until proven otherwise in other studies in large cohorts.