TABLE 1.

Characteristics of the study patients on admission by treatment group

	Dexamethasone n=50	Placebo n=51
Median age in months (range)	13 (2–146)	11 (1–153)
Sex: number (%)
Male	25 (50)	20 (39)
Female	25 (50)	31 (61)
Race: number (%)
Caucasian	40 (83)	38 (76)
Black	2 (4)	3 (6)
Other	6 (13)	9 (18)
Median Herson-Todd meningitis score (range)	2 (0–4.5)	2 (0–6)
Median Glasgow coma score (range)	12.5 (6–15)	13 (6–15)
Number with seizures before admission (%)	8 (16)	11 (22)
Number given oral antibiotics before admission (%)	14 (28)	14 (28)