Effect of inhaled steroid therapy on treatment response in hosptalized pneumonia patients: Results from Turkish Thoracic Society database

Aim: In the literature, there is no study that focuses on frequency of ICS use and the differences between ICS users and non-users in patients with pneumonia.Our aim is to search for differences regarding clinical characteristics,laboratory parameters,duration of hospitalization and response to treatment between ICS users and pneumonia patients. Methods: 1069 patients were included in the study.Patients(n:922) were divided into two groups as ICS users and non-users.Differential characteristics of pneumonia in ICS users were evaluated using regression analysis. Results: 227out of 922patients were using ICS.ICS use was associated with older age(p=0.0001),higher rates of smoking(p=0.02),higher values of PCO2(p=0.0001)and patchy infiltrations(p=0.011) on thorax computerized tomography(CT).On the other hand,it was associated with lower values of PO2(p=0.016),PO2/FiO2(p=0.017) and lower rates of mortality(p=0.006),less common fever(p=0.013),gastrointestinal symptoms(p=0.22),myalgia(p=0.015),pleural effusion (p=0.002) and consolidations on chest x-ray(p=0.01).Mean duration of hospitalization for ICS users was 14.35±5.57 days and 15,8±8,85 days for non-users(p=0.5).According to regression analyses,ICS was associated with lower prevalences of consolidations on chest x-ray(p=0.011) and pleural effusion (p=0.014) and higher prevalences of patchy infiltrations on thorax CT(p=0.003) and accompanying COPD(p=0,0001). Conclusion: ICS use is associated with better treatment response and lower mortality rates in hospitalized pneumonia patients in contrary to what is expected. New larger-scaled studies are warrented regarding our topic.