What is the equivalent dose of prednisone (corticosteroid) for 10mg of prednisolone (corticosteroid)?

Prednisolone to Prednisone Equivalence

10 mg of prednisolone is equivalent to 10 mg of prednisone. 1

Corticosteroid Equivalence Ratios

Prednisolone and prednisone have a 1:1 potency ratio, meaning they are equipotent at the same milligram dose. This is supported by clinical guidelines and pharmacological evidence:

• The FDA drug label for prednisolone specifically lists that 15 mg of prednisolone is equivalent to 15 mg of prednisone 2
• Clinical guidelines consistently use prednisolone and prednisone interchangeably at the same milligram doses 1
• Both medications are considered interchangeable at the same dosage in clinical practice

Conversion Table for Common Corticosteroids

Corticosteroid	Equivalent Dose to 10 mg Prednisone
Prednisolone	10 mg
Methylprednisolone	8 mg
Dexamethasone	1.5 mg
Hydrocortisone	40 mg

Pharmacological Basis for Equivalence

The 1:1 equivalence between prednisolone and prednisone is based on their pharmacological relationship:

• Prednisone is a prodrug that is converted to prednisolone in the liver 3
• Prednisolone is the active metabolite that exerts the glucocorticoid effects
• Both medications have identical anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive potency when administered at the same dose

Clinical Applications

This equivalence is important in several clinical scenarios:

• When switching between formulations (e.g., from tablets to liquid preparations)
• When prescribing for patients with specific needs (e.g., liquid prednisolone for patients with dysphagia) 4
• When interpreting dosage thresholds in clinical guidelines:
  • Low-dose therapy is defined as ≤7.5 mg prednisone/prednisolone daily 1
  • Medium to high-dose therapy is >7.5 mg but ≤100 mg prednisone/prednisolone daily 1
  • Guidelines for sudden hearing loss specify that 10 mg of prednisolone is equivalent to 10 mg of prednisone 5

Important Clinical Considerations

• Bioavailability of oral prednisone approximates 100% and is effectively converted to prednisolone in both healthy individuals and those with liver disease 3
• For clinical decision-making regarding vaccination in patients with rheumatic diseases, the same thresholds apply to both medications (e.g., ≤10 mg daily is considered safe for non-live vaccines) 5
• When tapering corticosteroids, the same tapering schedules can be used for both medications 5

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not confuse prednisolone/prednisone with methylprednisolone, which has a 1.25× higher potency (10 mg prednisone = 8 mg methylprednisolone) 1
• Do not confuse oral and parenteral formulations, as the route of administration may affect bioavailability
• Avoid assuming that all corticosteroids have the same potency - dexamethasone is 6.67× more potent than prednisone/prednisolone 1

In summary, when converting between prednisolone and prednisone, use a 1:1 ratio - 10 mg of prednisolone equals 10 mg of prednisone.