Table 2.
Data on efficacy and adverse reactions with acetazolamide and dexamethasone for prevention of acute mountain sickness
| End point | Incidence (%) of disease
|
Total No of subjects/No of subjects with end point
|
Relative risk (95% CI) | No needed to treat (95% CI) | References | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Control | Intervention | Control | |||||
| Prevention of acute mountain sickness | ||||||||
| Dexamethasone: | ||||||||
| 8 mg, 12 mg, or 16 mg | 37.7 | 73.8 | 48/77 | 22/84 | 2.50 (1.71 to 3.66) | 2.8 (2.0 to 4.6) | 23, 31, 32, 35, 39, 44, 45, 49 | |
| 8 mg | 59.3 | 86.2 | 11/27 | 4/29 | 2.97 (1.10 to 8.02) | 3.7 (2.0 to 22) | 23, 35,45 | |
| 12 mg | 14.8 | 62.5 | 23/27 | 12/32 | 2.53 (1.54 to 4.16) | 2.1 (1.4 to 3.8) | 31, 32 | |
| 16 mg | 37.5 | 70.8 | 15/24 | 7/24 | 2.19 (1.10 to 4.37) | 3.0 (1.7 to 15) | 39, 44, 49 | |
| Acetazolamide: | ||||||||
| 500 mg or 750 mg | 32.7 | 58.5 | 103/153 | 59/142 | 1.58 (1.27 to 1.96) | 3.9 (2.7 to 6.8) | 1, 19, 31, 32, 40, 42, 47, 49 | |
| 500 mg | 31.7 | 45.9 | 56/82 | 33/61 | 1.22 (0.93 to 1.59) | 7.0 (3.3 to −54) | 1, 42, 49 | |
| 750 mg | 33.8 | 67.9 | 47/71 | 26/81 | 2.18 (1.52 to 3.15) | 2.9 (2.0 to 5.2) | 19, 31, 32, 40, 47 | |
| Prevention of insomnia | ||||||||
| Dexamethasone 12 mg | 64.7 | 92.9 | 6/17 | 1/14 | 4.94 (0.67 to 36.3) | 3.6 (1.8 to 58) | 31 | |
| Acetazolamide 750 mg or 1 g | 40.0 | 77.1 | 45/75 | 25/76 | 1.84 (1.27 to 2.66) | 3.7 (2.4 to 8.5) | 31, 33, 37, 40 | |
| Prevention of headache | ||||||||
| Dexamethasone 12 mg | 23.5 | 57.1 | 13/17 | 6/14 | 1.78 (0.92 to 3.45) | 3.0 (1.5 to 130) | 31 | |
| Acetazolamide 500 mg, 750 mg, or 1 g | 25.9 | 62.2 | 60/81 | 31/82 | 1.96 (1.45 to 2.64) | 2.8 (2.0 to 4.5) | 27, 31, 33, 37, 40 | |
| Prevention of nausea | ||||||||
| Dexamethasone 12 mg | 11.8 | 42.9 | 15/17 | 8/14 | 1.54 (0.95 to 2.51) | 3.2 (1.6 to 102) | 31 | |
| Acetazolamide 500 mg, 750 mg, or 1 g | 20.1 | 36.3 | 68/85 | 55/86 | 1.26 (1.04 to 1.52) | 6.2 (3.4 to 35) | 27, 29, 31, 33, 37, 40 | |
| Prevention of dizziness | ||||||||
| Dexamethasone 12 mg | 23.5 | 64.3 | 13/17 | 5/14 | 2.14 (1.01 to 4.54) | 2.5 (1.4 to 12) | 31 | |
| Adverse reactions from weaning from dexamethasone | 27.1 | 0 | 13/48 | 0/43 | 4.45 (1.08 to 18.3) | 3.7 (2.5 to 6.9) | 23, 24, 35, 38, 49 | |
| Polyuria with acetazolamide | 33.3 | 5.6 | 26/78 | 4/72 | 4.24 (1.92 to 9.37) | 3.6 (2.5 to 6.2) | 31, 37, 40, 47, 49 | |
| Paraesthesia with acetazolamide | 42.9 | 10.0 | 21/49 | 5/50 | 4.02 (1.71 to 9.43) | 3.0 (2.0 to 6.0) | 25, 34, 47, 49 | |
CI=confidence interval.