Dexamethasone should not be dismissed as a potential treatment option for adults with pneumonia-related pleural effusions despite no clear benefit emerging in a pilot study, according to UK clinicians.

Respiratory specialists from the University of Bristol argue in a newly published commentary that the corticosteroid still holds promise as a “safe and feasible” therapy for the condition.

This follows results from the Australian-run STOPPE (Steroid Therapy and Outcome of Parapneumonic Pleural Effusions) trial, which investigated the efficacy of dexamethasone in this clinical setting.

The small, multi-centre pilot study — the first randomised trial of corticosteroids for parapneumonic effusion — included 80 patients assigned 2:1 to either 4mg dexamethasone intravenously twice daily or placebo.