Table 3.
Sensitivity analysis according to types and daily dosage of glucocorticoids
| Variable | 30-Day mortality | |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard ratio (95% CI) | P-value | |
| Daily dosage* | ||
| Preadmission non-GC user (n = 24,113) | 1 | (0.001) |
| Preadmission GC user of daily dosage ≤ 5 mg (n = 393) | 1.45 (1.03, 2.03) | 0.033 |
| Preadmission GC user of daily dosage > 5 mg (n = 423) | 1.67 (1.25, 2.24) | 0.001 |
| Type of GCs* | ||
| Preadmission non-GC user (n = 24,113) | 1 | (0.001) |
| Preadmission GC user: prednisolone (n = 635) | 1.56 (1.21, 2.01) | 0.001 |
| Preadmission GC user: methylprednisolone (n = 131) | 1.90 (1.12, 3.25) | 0.018 |
| Preadmission GC user: dexamethasone (n = 50) | 1.30 (1.05, 1.50) | 0.042 |
APACHE Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation, CI confidence interval, GC glucocorticoid, GI gastrointestinal, ICU intensive care unit
*Covariates of P < 0.2 in univariate Cox regression analysis in Additional file 1: Table S1 were included in multivariate Cox regression analysis: age, body mass index, APACHE II, comorbidity at ICU admission (hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, anemia, and cancer), admission through emergency department, main diagnosis on ICU admission (septic shock, cardiac disease, neurologic disease, kidney failure, respiratory insufficiency or failure, GI bleeding, ischemia or perforation, and post-cardiac arrest)