Authors present a comparative retrospective study designed to verify the efficacy of rectal prednisone and glucocorticoids administered parenterally in the therapy of croup. Two hundred fifty nine children, hospitalized for croup during the period 1998 and 1999, were enrolled to the study. They were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups. Group 1: rectal prednisone (38 female, 116 male, age range 0.25 - 10.58 yrs, average age 3.41 ± 2.1 yrs, dosage of prednisone 0.5 - 9.09 mg/kg, average dose 2.22 ± 1.36mg/kg). Group 2: intravenous/intramuscular dexamethasone (4 female, 13 male, age range 0.33 - 12.25 yrs, average age 3.66 ± 2.28 yrs, dosage of dexamethasone 0.03 - 0.57 mg/kg, average dose 0.29 ± 0.14 mg/kg). Group 3: intravenous/intramuscular hydrocortisone (23 female, 65 male, age range 0.42 - 9.92 yrs, average age 3.34 ± 2.22 yrs, dosage of hydrocortisone 2.32 - 16.6 mg/kg, average dose 7.05 ± 2.79 mg/kg). The clinical evaluation was based on the scoring system by Downes (first value on admission without glucocorticoids, second value during 6th hour after start of therapy with glucocorticoids). Authors conclude that intravenous/intramuscular dexamethasone and hydrocortisone aremore beneficial than rectal prednisone. Authors found statistically significant improvement in the group of children treated with hydrocortisone when compared with the group treated with rectal prednisone.

        Key words: croup, glucocorticoids therapy, childhood