Question
Does the use of hormone drugs have significant side effects for recurrent purpura? My son is four years old, and he has been hospitalized for purpura treatment six times with a total of two and a half months. Currently, he is controlled with two tablets of Prednisone daily. How long will it take for the hormone to stop recurring, and what are the potential side effects?
Answer
Steroid medications, while effective and quick-acting, also come with severe side effects, and hospitals generally strive to avoid their use. Long-term use of doses exceeding physiological levels may lead to side effects such as central obesity, moon face, muscle weakness, low blood potassium levels, edema, and hypertension. Prolonged and excessive use may also result in visual nerve damage and posterior subcapsular cataracts.