The role of adjunctive dexamethasone in the treatment of bacterial meningitis: an updated systematic meta-analysis

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flow chart of selection process in this meta-analysis.

Table 1 Main characteristics of included studies in this meta-analysis

First author	Year	Country	Study period	Age range (years)	Sample size	Criteria	Dexamethasone dose	Primary outcome
De Gans and Van de Beek^Citation25	2002	The Netherlands	1993–2001	≥17	301	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	10 mg three times daily for 4 days	Death at 8 weeks
Gijwani et al^Citation31	2002	India	1998–1999	>10	40	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	0.15 mg/kg four times daily for 4 days	Death at 4 weeks
Molyneux et al^Citation27	2002	Malawi	1997–2001	0.16–13	598	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	0.4 mg/kg twice daily for 2 days	Death at 4 weeks
Nguyen et al^Citation26	2007	Vietnam	1996–2005	≥14	435	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	0.4 mg/kg twice daily for 4 days	Death at 4 weeks
Peltola et al^Citation28	2007	Brazil	1996–2003	0.16–16	329	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF or blood criteria	0.15 mg/kg four times daily for 2 days	Death at 4–8 weeks
Sankar et al^Citation32	2007	India	2002–2003	0.16–12	25	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF or blood criteria	0.15 mg/kg four times daily for 5 days	Death at 4 weeks
Scarborough et al^Citation29	2007	Malawi	2002–2005	>15	459	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	16 mg twice daily for 4 days	Death at 6 weeks
Fu^Citation23	2009	People’s Republic of China	Not reported	14–60	92	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	0.2 mg/kg four times daily for 4 days	Death at 8 weeks
He^Citation24	2013	People’s Republic of China	2008–2012	<15	100	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF or blood criteria	0.2 mg/kg three times daily for 4 days	Death at 8 weeks
Mathur et al^Citation30	2013	India	2008–2009	<1	80	Clinically suspected BM plus CSF criteria	0.15 mg/kg four times daily for 2 days	Death at 4–6 weeks

Abbreviations: BM, bacterial meningitis; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid.

Figure 2 Meta-analysis of the effect of adjunctive dexamethasone therapy on follow-up mortality.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; M–H, Mantel–Haenszel.

Figure 3 Forest plot of the relative strength of adjunctive dexamethasone therapy on hearing loss in the statistical analysis.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; M–H, Mantel–Haenszel.

Figure 4 Meta-analysis of correlation of adjunctive dexamethasone therapy on severe neurological sequelae.

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; M–H, Mantel–Haenszel.

Figure 5 Funnel plot of publication bias in this meta-analysis.

Abbreviations: SE, standard error; RR, relative risk.

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