TY - JOUR
T1 - Randomized, placebo-controlled, double blinded trial of dexamethasone in African children with sepsis
AU - Slusher, Tina
AU - Gbadero, Daniel
AU - Howard, Cynthia
AU - Lewison, Laura
AU - Giroir, Brett
AU - Toro, Luis
AU - Levin, Daniel
AU - Holt, Elizabeth
AU - Mccracken, George H.
PY - 1996/7/1
Y1 - 1996/7/1
N2 - Objective. To determine the effect of moderate dose dexamethasone administered before antibiotics on the outcome of African children with sepsis. Methods. The design was a randomized, double blinded, placebo- controlled trial of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg) vs. placebo given intravenously before antibiotic therapy. Patients were recruited from the patient populations at two missionary hospitals. Primary outcome variables were determined before analysis of data. Results. Seventy-two children with sepsis were enrolled in the study. Treatment with dexamethasone was not associated with improved outcome for any six outcome variables: survival to discharge (83%, dexamethasone group; 89%, placebo group); hemodynamic stability at 48 h (33%, dexamethasone group; 49%, placebo group); median length of hospital stay (11 days, dexamethasone group; 11 days, placebo group); normal at discharge (90%, dexamethasone group; 75%, placebo group); normal at follow- up (90%, dexamethasone group; 72%, placebo group); and afebrile at 48 to 72 h(61%, dexamethasone group; 44%, placebo group). Conclusions. These data indicate that a moderate dose of dexamethasone given before antibiotic therapy did not improve outcome in the pediatric patients with sepsis whom we studied.
AB - Objective. To determine the effect of moderate dose dexamethasone administered before antibiotics on the outcome of African children with sepsis. Methods. The design was a randomized, double blinded, placebo- controlled trial of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg) vs. placebo given intravenously before antibiotic therapy. Patients were recruited from the patient populations at two missionary hospitals. Primary outcome variables were determined before analysis of data. Results. Seventy-two children with sepsis were enrolled in the study. Treatment with dexamethasone was not associated with improved outcome for any six outcome variables: survival to discharge (83%, dexamethasone group; 89%, placebo group); hemodynamic stability at 48 h (33%, dexamethasone group; 49%, placebo group); median length of hospital stay (11 days, dexamethasone group; 11 days, placebo group); normal at discharge (90%, dexamethasone group; 75%, placebo group); normal at follow- up (90%, dexamethasone group; 72%, placebo group); and afebrile at 48 to 72 h(61%, dexamethasone group; 44%, placebo group). Conclusions. These data indicate that a moderate dose of dexamethasone given before antibiotic therapy did not improve outcome in the pediatric patients with sepsis whom we studied.
KW - Africa
KW - Dexamethasone
KW - sepsis syndrome
KW - septic shock (pediatric)
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U2 - 10.1097/00006454-199607000-00004
DO - 10.1097/00006454-199607000-00004
M3 - Article
C2 - 8823850
AN - SCOPUS:0029986186
SN - 0891-3668
VL - 15
SP - 579
EP - 583
JO - Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
JF - Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
IS - 7
ER -