First author

Year

No. of patients

Type of disease

Type of study

Active Treatment

Follow-up

Results

ref. no.

(years)

Young (562)

1970

25

Dlco abnormal or

Open

Prednisone

1 – 2

No difference in Dlco, VC

Pao² <80mm Hg

Alternate patients treated

60mg (1mo)

or Pao² at rest and exercise

20mg (5mo)

Harkleroad

1982

17

Follow-up of the

patients of Young et al.

10 – 15

As above

(568)

Hapke

1971

32

Stage I 2

Open

Prednisolone

4

Radiographic improvement during

(563)

Stage II 20

Matched Controls;

15mg ( 6 mo)

treatment phase; no difference in 4

Stage III 10

alternate patients treated

years

Israel

1973

90

Stage I 37

Open, randomized to

Prednisone

1

Stage I no difference at any time

(564)

II-III 46

treatment or no treatment

15mg ( 3 mo)

point; II-III: improvement at 3 mo, but

not after 1 year

Mikami

1974

101

Active

Double-blind randomized

Prednisolone

1

More rapid radiographic improvement

(565)

Stage I 39

placebo-controlled

30mg (1 mo)

in treated patients; no difference at

Stage II 30

20mg (1 mo)

1-year follow-up

10mg (1 mo)

5mg (3 mo)

Selroos

1979

39

Stage II not

Open, randomized to no

Methylprednisolone

2

Treated patients better at 7 mo (x-ray,

(566)

improving

treatment or to daily or

32-20mg (1 mo)

VC, Dlco) but no difference at 1 or 2

spontaneously

alternate day treatment

12-16mg (5 mo)

years; no difference between daily

4-8mg (1 mo)

and alternate day therapy

Eule

1980

209

Stage I 86

Open, not randomized

Prednisolone

3

More rapid radiographic improvement in

(567)

StageII 123

(78 patients left untreated)

40mg (1 mo)

the treated groups; no differences at

35-15mg (5 mo)

18, 24 or 36 months in VC or chest

10mg (10 or 4 mo)

radiographs

Böttger

1980

317

Stage I – II

Open, not randomized;

Prednisolone

2

Relapse rate 20-25% irrespective of

(569)

Duration <2 y

100 untreated controls

20 – 25mg (initial

treatment schedule

dose) 14-28 mo

Tachibana

1981

118

Stage I 69

Open, not randomized,

Prednisolone

0.5 – 2

Steroid-treated group better at 6 mo

(570)

Stage II 49

38 treated, 80 not

alternate days

and 12 mo but not at 2-year follow-up

treated

60 – 40mg (6 mo)

30mg (6 mo)

25 – 5mg (6 mo)

Yamamoto

1983

74

Stage I 32

37 matched pairs of

as above

3

No difference in resolution rate be-

(571)

Stage II 42

treated and untreated

tween treated and untreated patients

patients

Zaki

1987

183

Stage I 64

Double-blind

Prednisone

5

No difference at any time between

(572)

Stage II 59

randomized

40 mg (3 mo)

treated and untreated patients in

Stage III 19

placebo-controlled

20 mg (21 mo)

chest x-ray or lung function tests

Other 17