What do systematic reviews say?

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in mortality after discharge (1‐3 months) compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.4 [0.44, 4.51]
  3 studies · 298 participants
  Moderate

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 298 participants
  Low

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid probably leads to higher adverse drug effect ‐ hyperglycaemia compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 4.89 [1.2, 19.94]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Moderate

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 38 participants
  Low

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in treatment failure Need to intensify therapy compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.67 [0.34, 1.3]
  3 studies · 298 participants
  Moderate

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in relapse Hospital readmission for COPD compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.95 [0.5, 1.8]
  3 studies · 298 participants
  Moderate

Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

• Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 75 participants
  Low