Clinical and Metabolic Effects of Prednisone, Prednisolone and Cortisone in a Patient with Acrodermatitis Continua (Hallopeau)

Abstract

THE introduction of prednisone and prednisolone has provided steroids with markedly enhanced anti-inflammatory effectiveness in comparison with their 1, hydrogenated analogues, cortisone and hydrocortisone. This has been demonstrated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis,^{1 2 3} acute disseminated lupus erythematosus,⁴ pemphigus,⁵ bronchial asthma⁶ and other diseases. The extent to which this enhanced potency is accompanied by an increase in the adverse metabolic consequences of corticoid therapy is still under debate. Because patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other debilitating diseases show less than normal tendency to display losses of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium during acute stressful situations or massive corticoid therapy, it was thought . . .