Efficacy of a small single dose of oral dexamethasone for outpatient croup: a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the efficacy of a single dose of oral dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg in children with mild croup not admitted to hospital. DESIGN--Double blind, randomised, placebo controlled clinical trial. SETTING--The emergency department of a tertiary paediatric hospital. SUBJECTS--100 children aged 4-122 months presenting with mild croup. INTERVENTION--A single oral dose of dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg or placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Return to medical care with ongoing croup. RESULTS--Baseline characteristics of the two treatment groups were similar. Eight children (all from the placebo group) returned to medical care with ongoing croup, one being admitted. There was no reported difference in duration of croup symptoms, duration of viral symptoms, or rate of return to medical care for other reasons. CONCLUSION--Oral dexamethasone in a dose of 0.15 mg/kg is effective in reducing return to medical care with ongoing croup in children with mild croup.