“Effects of long-term corticosteroid use on susceptibility to respiratory viruses: a narrative review”
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2024.09.014

As I navigate through the website of ScienceDirect, I came across an interesting topic wherein its components are very familiar to me. The article entitled “Effects of long-term corticosteroid use on susceptibility to respiratory viruses: a narrative review” was such a captivating topic to discuss and be knowledgeable about. Corticosteroid is a type of steroid or glucocorticoids which aids in reducing the inflammation of one’s body part. This may be taken orally or physically through ointments. This medication was not new to me as I used it during the pandemic because of rashes due to the usage of masks. The medication should only be used on a specific duration and not to be utilized on a daily basis as it can result in having a moon face. Researchers have said that corticosteroids are synthetic medications for cortisols. Such cortisols are produced by the body systems through since these are hormones secreted and made by the adrenal glands

In the article, it was stated that the adverse effects of prolonged use of corticosteroids can result in an increased risk of infection, specifically respiratory viral infections including asthma, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and more. Patients with autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis) or conditions like malignancies and post-transplant recovery are more susceptible to RVIs when on corticosteroids. Studies show that reducing the dosage of corticosteroids and having alternative methods can significantly reduce the susceptibility of such infections.