| pubmed-article:6124757 | pubmed:abstractText | A simple steroid trial was conducted to assess whether 31 patients with chronic airflow obstruction would benefit from oral steroid therapy. Peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV1), and ratio of FEV1, to forced vital capacity (FVC) were monitored during a 6-month period (when patients were on maximum bronchodilator therapy), after 2 weeks on placebo and after 2 weeks on prednisolone 30 mg daily. Patients also measured that PEF at home thrice daily. None had a significant degree of steroid reversible airflow obstruction. The preliminary observation period (of at least 3 months) is important to prevent an improvement being attributed to steroids, when it has in fact occurred spontaneously or is the result of bronchodilator therapy or cessation of smoking. | lld:pubmed |
