Single-dose dexamethasone as an adjuvant therapy for sore throat in
adults: A cohort study
Abstract
Background: Several studies have suggested that a short course
of corticosteroid therapy with the standard care increases complete sore
throat resolution in 24 hours, however, corticosteroids are yet to be a
common prescription for acute sore throat patients. This study aimed to
confirm the effectiveness and safety of adjuvant corticosteroid
treatment with standard care, by investigating the treatment response
and prognostic factors associated with increased symptom resolution.
Methods: This retrospective study included 40 patients with
acute sore throat symptoms. The degree of sore throat was checked using
the manner of Numeral Rating Scale (NRS). Patients were orally or
intramuscularly administered a single dose of 10 mg of dexamethasone as
an adjuvant therapy with conventional treatments. Treatment response was
stratified according to the degree of resolution of sore throat at 24
hours. Results: Of the 40 patients involved, 27 (67.5%) showed
more than 50% reduction in NRS in 24 hours. On the contrary, 9 patients
(22.5%) experienced less than 50% sore throat resolution, while 4
(10%) reported no significant pain relief. Multivariable logistic model
controlling for significant covariables revealed that cough (OR, 0.02;
95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.40; p = 0.01) was an independent factor
for predicting treatment response. In addition, post-hoc analysis showed
a negative association between treatment response and the degree of
cough (86.7% in no cough vs. 75.0% in intermittent cough vs. 47.1% in
persistent cough, P = 0.023). Additionally, none of the patients
experienced infection complications. Conclusions: A single-dose
dexamethasone as an adjuvant therapy with standard care is an effective
and safe strategy for patients presenting with acute sore throat in
primary care clinics. Specifically, the efficacy of corticosteroid
treatment for sore throat was higher in patients without cough.