2022 Mar 04

New search has been performed

The following new authors joined the review group for this 2022 update: Alex Aregbesola, Clara Tam, Asha Kothari, Mê‐Linh Lê, and Mirna Ragheb. As in the previous review, we added an age range for children in our inclusion criteria (0 to 18 years). We did not extract data for some outcomes prespecified in the protocol because the new included studies did not report these outcomes. We used the Cochrane risk of bias tool to assess risk of bias for all studies included in the meta‐analysis. We used the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence (GRADEpro GDT). We added summary of findings tables for two comparisons. 

2022 Mar 04

New citation required and conclusions have changed

We included two new trials (Huang 2021; Parker 2019), and identified one ongoing trial (IRCT20190914044765N1), and one trial awaiting classification (Chen 2018). We excluded six new trials (Faraji‐Goodarzi 2018; Gursanscky 2019; Kotaniemi‐Syrjanen 2018; Lee 2019; Meskina 2019; Tyler 2022). The previous version of this review concluded that glucocorticoids reduced symptoms of croup at two hours, shortened hospital stays, and reduced the rate of return visits to care. We concluded that dexamethasone probably reduces revisits or readmission of croup by about half. A smaller dose of 0.15 mg/kg of dexamethasone may be as effective as the standard dose of 0.60 mg/kg. More randomised controlled trials are needed to strengthen the evidence for effectiveness of low‐dose dexamethasone at 0.15 mg/kg to treat croup.

2018 Apr 03

New search has been performed

New authors joined the team to update the review. We updated the searches and included five new trials. Three were newly identified trials (Dobrovoljac 2012; Garbutt 2013; Soleimani 2013); one was previously excluded (Chub‐Uppakarn 2007); and one was previously awaiting classification (Eboriadou 2010). We excluded six new trials, Eghbali 2016; Faghihinia 2007; Faraji‐Goodarzi 2018; Gill 2017; Mohammadzadeh 2014; Roked 2015, and one ongoing trial (NCT01748162). We included one new ongoing trial (ACTRN12609000290291). In this update we assessed the risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence. We added two new primary outcomes: change in croup score after two hours, and patient improvement after two hours. We added adverse events as a secondary outcome and 'Summary of findings' tables. We added two new comparisons: oral compared to nebulised dexamethasone, and dexamethasone compared to beclomethasone.

2018 Apr 03

New citation required and conclusions have changed

Our conclusions have changed. The previous version of this review concluded that glucocorticoids, as compared to placebo, reduce croup symptoms within six hours and that the effect lasts 12 hours. We conclude that glucocorticoids, as compared to placebo, reduce croup symptoms within two hours and that the effect lasts at least 24 hours.

2011 Dec 01

Amended

Grammatical correction made to the Plain language summary.

2011 Jul 18

Amended

Analysis 10.1 contained an error, as the negative signs for the change in croup scores at 6 hours were not included. The mean difference remains non‐significant.

2008 Aug 17

Amended

Converted to new review format.

2004 Feb 04

Feedback has been incorporated

Feedback incorporated.