In this study, researchers propose a unique (individualized) approach to steroid treatment
seeking to give the right dose of steroid to the right patient and at the right time. This
study seeks to compare usual care to an individualized steroid dosing strategy by testing a
marker of inflammation in the blood called C- reactive protein (CRP). The overall goal is to
reduce an individual's exposure to steroids and the risk of potential side effects thereby
increasing the potential benefit of using steroids to control inflammation in pneumonia.