Table 3.
Subgroup analysis by timing of starting corticosteroid therapy
| Timing of starting steroids | Number of studies | Number of patients | Relative risk (95% CI) | I 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Preventive therapy |
|
|
|
|
| Randomized controlled trials |
3 |
154 |
1.24 (0.57 to 2.72) |
80% |
|
Early ARDS (≤3 days) |
|
|
|
|
| Randomized controlled trials |
3 |
367 |
0.86 (0.71 to 1.04) |
17% |
| Cohort studies |
4 |
303 |
1.00 (0.24 to 4.20) |
70% |
|
Persistent ARDS (≥5 days) |
|
|
|
|
| Randomized controlled trials |
2 |
204 |
0.52 (0.11 to 2.52) |
79% |
| Cohort studies | 3 | 105 | 0.73 (0.44 to 1.23) | 0% |
Three studies were excluded in this analysis due to no report of treatment timing.