Corticosteroids for croup

Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is a common childhood respiratory condition, characterised by a harsh, barking cough, a hoarse voice, stridor and variable respiratory distress. Corticosteroids are often used to treat the condition. Four years ago, we concluded that nebulised budesonide improved croup symptoms of stridor and cough (but not necessarily dyspnoea) but that more trials were needed to clarify its role. In this article, we reconsider the place of corticosteroids in croup and assess whether different products offer particular advantages.