The efficacy low dose of prednisolone in the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2004 Mar;83(3):272-5. doi: 10.1111/j.0001-6349.2004.0141.x.

Abstract

Background: To determine whether low dosages of prednisolone are effective in the treatment of outpatients with hyperemesis gravidarum.

Methods: Eighty pregnant women with gestational ages of 6 to 12 weeks and persistent nausea and vomiting participated. The women were assigned by simple randomization to receive prednisolone 5 mg daily or promethazine 75 mg daily by oral route for 10 days. The severity of nausea, frequency of vomiting per day, sickness and the drugs' side-effects were compared (Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Odds Ratio test).

Results: The women who received promethazine responded better in the first 48 h (p = 0.02). With continuation of the treatment, the difference decreased, and one week after completion of the treatment, the subjects who had received prednisolone had less symptoms.

Conclusion: Promethazine reduces the symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum faster than prednisolone, but during prolonged treatment, prednisolone has at least the same effects on the symptoms and less drug side-effects.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Hyperemesis Gravidarum / diagnosis
  • Hyperemesis Gravidarum / drug therapy*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Prednisolone / administration & dosage*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, First
  • Promethazine / administration & dosage*
  • Reference Values
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Prednisolone
  • Promethazine