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Of 400 patients recruited,349 completed the study.No significant differences were detected between the four groups in the progression of the rash(P>0.1).With steroid therapy,a significantly higher proportion of the rash area had healed on days 7 and 14(P=0.02).Pain reduction was greater during the acute phase of disease in patients treated with steroids or 21 days of acyclovir(P<0.01 and P=0.02,respectively,on day 7; P<0.01 for steroid therapy on day 14).However,on follow-up there were no significant differences between any of the groups in the time to a first or a complete cessation of pain.The steroid recipients reported more adverse events.In acute herpes zoster,treatment with acyclovir for 21 days or the addition of prednisolone to acyclovir therapy confers only slight benefits over standard 7-day treatment with acyclovir.Neither additional treatment reduces the frequency of postherpetic neuralgia. |
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