antibiotics + corticosteroids

This combination therapy consists of standard-of-care antibiotics (such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, pentamidine, or atovaquone) and adjunctive oral corticosteroids (specifically prednisone). It was investigated by George Washington University in a Phase 4 clinical trial (NCT00636935) for the treatment of mild Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-infected patients, defined by a pO2 > 70 mmHg. The study, led by Dr. Afsoon Roberts, aimed to determine if adding corticosteroids to the standard antibiotic regimen could reduce the incidence of pulmonary fibrosis and pneumothorax in patients with mild disease. Prednisone acts as a synthetic glucocorticoid that binds to glucocorticoid receptors to exert anti-inflammatory effects, while the antibiotics target the metabolic pathways or cellular structures of the fungal pathogen Pneumocystis jirovecii.

Other names

adjunctive prednisone for mild PCPcorticosteroids for mild Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumoniaantibiotics + prednisone