Usage of oral steroid in patients with inflammatory diseases like polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis significantly increased the risk of infection and the risk increases with higher doses.The study was published in the 'CMAJ' (Canadian Medical Association Journal).In a large study of almost 40, 000 adult patients with polymyalgia rheumatica or giant cell arteritis in England, researchers found higher absolute risks of infection when patients were taking oral steroids than when they were not taking them.The mean age of patients in the study was 73 years. Steroids included prednisolone, prednisone, hydrocortisone, and cortisone. The risk of infection increased with higher doses and was elevated even with low daily doses of less than 5 mg of prednisolone."In periods with prescribed medication, patients' risk was 50 per cent higher than when it was not prescribed," wrote Dr Mar Pujades-Rodriguez, Leeds Institute of Data Analytics, University of Leeds."Increases in risk ranged .
