Croup Dosing Study

Croup is a common childhood respiratory disease that leads to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. It accounts for 7% and 3% of hospitalization in under 5 and children between 6 months-3 years in North America, respectively. It is a self-limiting viral infection characterized by the sudden onset of a seal-like barking cough, often accompanied by stridor, voice hoarseness, and respiratory distress. Glucocorticoids are a class of corticosteroids with anti-inflammatory properties that help alleviate croup symptoms. While dexamethasone (a type of glucocorticoid) is commonly used to treat croup at 0.6mg/kg, a low dose of 0.15mg/kg (due to adverse events (AEs)) has been suggested to be equally effective. Investigators propose an innovative and multidisciplinary approach to investigate the noninferiority of dexamethasone at 0.15mg/kg versus 0.6mg/kg to treat croup.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged with clinical diagnosis of croup

Exclusion criteria

• Children who are unable to tolerate or ingest oral dexamethasone,
• Known hypersensitivity/allergy to dexamethasone,
• Other causes of stridor (such as acute epiglottitis, bacterial tracheitis, anaphylaxis, foreign body aspiration),
• Other underlying systemic diseases defined as chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and immunodeficiency),
• Recent exposure to varicella,
• Treatment with oral or intravenous corticosteroids within the preceding 72 hours.