Hydrocortisone vs Desoximetasone: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Hydrocortisone | Desoximetasone | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Corticosteroid | Corticosteroid |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 88,710 | 18,941 |
| Serious | 82% | 95% |
| Death outcome | 11,614 | 5,061 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Hydrocortisone | Desoximetasone | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 2,466 · PRR 119.8 | 4,932 · PRR 2,326.2 | Labeled (related wording) / Not in label — unassessed |
| Folliculitis | 2,092 · PRR 59.9 | 3,857 · PRR 664.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Labeled adverse reaction |
| Pemphigus | 2,770 · PRR 67.7 | 8,003 · PRR 2,047.0 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hand deformity | 2,709 · PRR 61.6 | 7,047 · PRR 1,311.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Helicobacter infection | 2,454 · PRR 74.9 | 4,879 · PRR 1,027.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Muscle injury | 1,781 · PRR 65.4 | 3,369 · PRR 777.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rheumatic fever | 1,890 · PRR 181.2 | 3,101 · PRR 2,794.8 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type | 1,305 · PRR 60.0 | 2,514 · PRR 714.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,230 · PRR 151.7 | 1,760 · PRR 1,420.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 947 · PRR 222.3 | 1,310 · PRR 2,284.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Peripheral venous disease | 895 · PRR 68.2 | 1,275 · PRR 521.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 757 · PRR 142.6 | 949 · PRR 995.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 728 · PRR 115.1 | 941 · PRR 818.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 553 · PRR 206.4 | 766 · PRR 2,044.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Retinitis | 427 · PRR 81.2 | 634 · PRR 682.4 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Seronegative arthritis | 194 · PRR 49.3 | 320 · PRR 443.2 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Subcutaneous drug absorption impaired | 187 · PRR 123.7 | 206 · PRR 677.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Grip strength | 97 · PRR 170.6 | 136 · PRR 1,596.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Swollen joint count | 83 · PRR 120.4 | 122 · PRR 1,100.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Hydrocortisone
- Steroid withdrawal syndrome — n=250, PRR 76.9 Labeled (related wording)
- Secondary immunodeficiency — n=223, PRR 54.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Adrenal suppression — n=148, PRR 50.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Topical steroid withdrawal reaction — n=146, PRR 145.5 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Desoximetasone
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Hydrocortisone or Desoximetasone?
Hydrocortisone has 88,710 FAERS reports and Desoximetasone 18,941. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (82% vs 95%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Hydrocortisone and Desoximetasone share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, folliculitis, pemphigus, hand deformity, helicobacter infection. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Hydrocortisone or Desoximetasone safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.