There are five major human steroid hormones: estrogens, progestogens, androgens, mineralocorticoids, and glucocorticoids.
Corticosteroids are associated with well characterized adverse events including: increased risk of infection, bone, muscle, metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric toxicity.
Some evidence suggests that high cumulative steroid dose could have a negative affect on cancer control.
At doses equivalent to 5 mg/d of prednisone given for any length of time is not associated with hypothalamic pituitary suppression.
In general, 5 mg of prednisone is equal to 4 mg of methylprednisolone, to 0.75 mg of dexamethasone, and to 20 mg of hydrocortisone.
Any dose of glucocorticoids given for less than 3 weeks does not lead to clinically significant suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
Methylprednisolone has a shorter half-life compared with dexamethasone.
Methylprednisolone has negligible mineralcorticoid effects compared with prednisone.
Methylprednisolone has efficacy comparable with dexamethasone in status asthmaticus, respiratory distress syndrome, and acute graft versus host disease.