Oral dexamethasone led to fewer treatment failures than did nebulized dexamethasone or placebo in children with mild croup.

I n t e r v e n t i o n Children were allocated to oral dexamethasone, 0.6 mg/kg of body weight to a maximum dose of 10 mg, and nebulized placebo (n = 85); nebulized dexamethasone sodium phosphate, 160 μg (n = 91), and oral placebo; or oral and nebulized placebo (n = 88). M a i n o u t c o m e m e a s u r e s The primary outcome was treatment failure (re-evaluation leading to a prescription for corticosteroids or racemic epinephrine). Secondary outcomes were need for additional medical care and parental assessment of the child’s condition.