Efficacy of nebulized glucocorticoids for acute pharyngitis in an emergency department outpatient population: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a single dose of nebulized glucocorticoids (dexamethasone or budesonide) compared to a placebo in relieving sore throat symptoms. The primary outcome was complete symptom resolution at 24 h. Secondary objectives included evaluating pain scores at 48 h, time to pain relief within 7 days, absenteeism, and ED visits or hospital admissions for acute pharyngitis (AP) symptoms or complications within 7 days.

Methods: This multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted across three EDs targeting patients over 5 years old with acute pharyngitis, excluding those with recent steroid or antibiotic use, adenotonsillectomy, or pregnancy. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: nebulized dexamethasone, budesonide, or placebo. Pain severity was assessed using a numeric rating scale from 0 to 10. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests to compare outcomes across treatment groups.

Main results: A total of 163 patients with AP were enrolled. No significant difference in the primary outcome, complete symptom resolution at 24 h, was observed between the glucocorticoids (dexamethasone, budesonide) and placebo groups, with relative risks of 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8-5.1) and 1.1 (95% CI 0.9-1.2), respectively. Among secondary outcomes, time to pain relief was significantly shorter in the glucocorticoid groups (mean onset: 2.6 h for dexamethasone, 3.1 h for budesonide) compared to the placebo group (4.1 h; p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in pain scores at 48 h, ED re-attendance, hospital admissions, or absenteeism. All treatments were well-tolerated, with no significant adverse events reported.

Conclusion: Despite a statistically significant earlier onset of pain relief, the study found no significant difference in complete resolution of sore throat at 24 or 48 h between glucocorticoids and placebo groups. Therefore, the routine use of nebulized steroids for managing acute pharyngitis may not be warranted, emphasizing the importance of maintaining standard care practices and considering alternative adjunct therapies.

Trial registration number: Clinicaltrial.com NCT04027322. Date: 07/18/2019.