Bibliographic information
Recommendation
In patients with tuberculous pericarditis, an initial adjuvant corticosteroid therapy may be used
Recommended in favor
Conditional
Certainty of evidence
Very low
Notes and Remarks
Subgroup considerations Steroids should be given regardless of the severity of meningitis. With regard to the use of steroids in tuberculous pericarditis, in one study an increase in HIV-related cancers (non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma) was observed [52]. However, this increase appears to be caused by co-administration of immunotherapy (M. indicus pranii). Implementation considerations Practitioners should give oral steroids if intravenous formulations are not available.
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Guidelines for treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis and patient care
WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis: module 4: treatment and care
WHO guidelines on the management of advanced HIV disease