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Short-Term Corticosteroid Therapy for Early Exacerbation of COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report

Akira Urano, Hajime Kasai, Yushi Murai, Hideki Ikeda, Takashi Urushibara

(Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kimitsu Chuo Hospital, Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan)

Am J Case Rep 2020; 21:e924476

DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.924476

BACKGROUND: The effect of corticosteroids in the management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear.
CASE REPORT: A 67-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19 by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis was admitted to our hospital. On admission, he had no dyspnea and his oxygen saturation (SpO₂) level was normal. Chest imaging revealed ground-glass opacities (GGO) distributed in both lung fields. Four days after admission, bilateral lung shadows worsened, with a slight reduction in SpO₂ levels. Short-term corticosteroid therapy was initiated, and SpO₂ and radiographic findings promptly improved without use of antiviral agents.
CONCLUSIONS: More data are required to ascertain the role of corticosteroids in the management of COVID-19 pneumonia.

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