Real world outcomes analysing the use of glucocorticoids in patients with acute chest syndrome: A propensity score matched analysis from global federated health research network

Abstract Introduction Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a life-threatening complication of sickle cell disease that often requires hospitalization and urgent intervention. Hospitalized patients may present with multiple acute conditions necessitating glucocorticoid therapy. Although glucocorticoids are well known for their anti-inflammatory effects, their use in ACS remains controversial due to concerns about worsening of underlying infection, progression to sepsis, and subsequent respiratory failure. This study aims to evaluate the impact of concomitant glucocorticoid use on clinical outcomes in patients with ACS. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the US Collaborative Network TriNetX, covering January 2000 to December 2023, encompassing data from 105 global healthcare organizations. Adult patients aged 18 and above with acute chest syndrome were identified and then stratified into two groups based on treatment with glucocorticoids during the index hospitalization or not. The two groups were then propensity-matched based on age, sex, race, and comorbidities. We followed these patients for 5 years to assess outcomes, including overall mortality, simple transfusions, exchange transfusions, need for mechanical ventilation, incidence of pneumonia, influenza, sepsis without shock, sepsis with shock, and need for hemodialysis. Results We identified 4197 patients in the acute chest syndrome with glucocorticoids cohort and 8211 patients in the acute chest syndrome without glucocorticoids cohort. After propensity matching, each cohort consisted of 4111 patients with similar baseline characteristics. Our analysis found that over 5 years, patients with acute chest syndrome who received glucocorticoids during the index hospitalization had a significantly higher risk of overall mortality (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.361, 95% CI: 1.158 to 1.599, p-value <0.001), simple transfusions (HR: 2.191, 95% CI: 2.015 to 2.381, p-value =0.009), exchange transfusions (Risk difference: 0.008, 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.013, p-value =0.001), need for mechanical ventilation (Risk difference: 0.024, 95% CI: 0.016 to 0.032, p-value <0.001), pneumonia (HR: 1.190, 95% CI: 1.111 to 1.276, p-value =0.004), influenza (Risk difference: 0.044, 95% CI: 0.029 to 0.059, p-value <0.001), sepsis without shock (Risk difference: 0.016, 95% CI: 0.007 to 0.024, p-value <0.001), and sepsis with shock (Risk difference: 0.026, 95% CI: 0.018 to 0.034, p-value <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the need for hemodialysis between the two subgroups. Conclusion Our study found that patients with acute chest syndrome who were exposed to glucocorticoids during the index hospitalization had a significantly increased risk of overall mortality, simple transfusions, exchange transfusions, need for mechanical ventilation, incidence of pneumonia, influenza, sepsis without shock, and sepsis with shock. Further longitudinal cohort studies are imperative to better understand these associations and guide evidence-based clinical practice in this population.