What is the anti-inflammatory dose of steroids for this condition?

• A. ~1 mg/kg/day
• B. ~0.01 mg/kg/day
• C. ~5 mg/kg/day
• D. ~10 mg/kg/day

Answer: (A)

Anti-inflammatory steroid dosing aims to suppress the inflammatory process without pushing into heavy immunosuppression. For most inflammatory intestinal conditions, the starting anti-inflammatory dose is about 1 mg per kg per day of prednisone (or an equivalent glucocorticoid). This level is higher than what the body normally produces (physiologic replacement) but lower than doses used for strong immunosuppression or rapid pulse therapy, which is why it’s considered the standard anti-inflammatory range. A dose around 0.01 mg/kg per day would be too low to meaningfully reduce inflammation. Doses around 5 or 10 mg/kg per day are much higher and typically reserved for severe disease or when a rapid, robust response is needed, with greater risk of adverse effects.