Are Corticosteroids Beneficial as Adjunctive Therapy for Pneumocystis Pneumonia in AIDS?

Excerpt

Despite recent advances in prevention, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia remains a frequent complication in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many patients, especially the growing numbers from lower socioeconomic groups, are unaware of their HIV-infected status until a major manifestation like pneumocystis pneumonia occurs. Other patients, despite being aware of their HIV infection, fail to take antiretroviral therapy and antipneumocystis prophylaxis regularly because of drug toxicity or economic and psychosocial issues. Even while receiving zidovudine therapy alone, patients with a previous history of P. carinii pneumonia have a relapse rate of approximately 60% within 1 year if they do