Discussion
In our cohort of 97 children with parapneumonic effusion, 55 (56.7%)
received corticosteroids because of refractory fever. The fever ceased
within the day following corticosteroids initiation for most of the
treated children and none of them required subsequent surgery. Hospital
stay characteristics and outcomes were the same for children with and
without corticosteroids. All the children were discharged alive and well
from hospital.