Dexamethasone 12mg (n=497) vs. dexamethasone 6mg (n=485)
randomized controlled trial
low risk of bias
Dexamethasone 12mg
Standard of care plus intravenous bolus injection of dexamethasone 12 mg once daily for up to 10 days.
Dexamethasone 6mg
Standard of care plus intravenous bolus injection of dexamethasone 6 mg once daily for up to 10 days.
Betamethasone (12mg or 6mg) use was allowed at sites where dexamethasone was not available.
COVID-19 severe or critically
Aged 18 years or above AND confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) requiring hospitalisation AND use of one of the following: Invasive mechanical ventilation OR Non-invasive ventilation or continuous use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for hypoxia OR Oxygen supplementation with an oxygen flow of at least 10 L/min independent of delivery system.
Double-blind.
Multicenter: 26 hospitals in Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland) and India.