SEVERE ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF PULSE STEROID-THERAPY - IS CONTINUOUS CARDIAC MONITORING NECESSARY

Pulse steroid therapy (PST) has been used in dermatology to treat a va riety of severe inflammatory disorders. Dermatologists have usually re commended that patients be hospitalized for continuous cardiac monitor ing during PST administration, although specialists in other fields ha ve administered PST in an outpatient setting. We reviewed the literatu re concerning se rious adverse cardiovascular effects of PST. These we re rare and have been mainly reported in nondermatologic patients, typ ically those with kidney or heart disease. Although outpatient adminis tration of PST may be a safe practice for some dermatologic patients, we cannot make a firm recommendation without a prospective trial.