Moderate-Dose Prednisolone as an Effective Substitute for High-Dose Prednisolone in the Treatment of Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis: A Retrospective Study

Ramesh  Omranipou; Negar  Mashoori; Sadaf  Alipour; Azin  Saberi

doi:10.18502/acta.v64i2.21532

Ramesh Omranipou Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Negar Mashoori Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Sadaf Alipour Department of Surgery, Breast Disease Research Center, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Azin Saberi Department of Surgery, Arash Women's Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v64i2.21532

Keywords: Corticosteroid; Granulomatous mastitis; Prednisolone; Recovery; Recurrence

Abstract

Corticosteroids, generally prescribed at high doses, have been used with good results in the treatment of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM). However, side effects of steroids are a serious concern, and prescribing lower doses sound safer if they provide similar efficacy. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the effect of moderate-dose versus high-dose prednisolone on IGM. Medical records of IGM patients were evaluated retrospectively. Patients who received prednisolone were classified as the moderate-dose group (MDG, <25 mg/day) and the high-dose group (HDG, ≥25 mg/day); their response and recurrence rates were compared. Among 108 patients, 82.5% in HDG and 85.3% in MDG responded to treatment (P=0.7). Total recurrence was 21.7% and 22% in HDG and MDG, respectively (P=0.984). Moderate doses of corticosteroids may be used to treat IGM patients without decreasing the treatment efficacy. Prospective randomized trials are necessary to further clarify this issue.