| Methods |
Double‐blind randomised controlled trial |
| Participants |
34 preterm infants < 1501 grams birth weight, ventilator‐dependent, no weaning from mechanical ventilation at 3 weeks. CXR changes |
| Interventions |
2 regimens were used in this study: 10‐day or 7‐day. 10‐day: intravenous dexamethasone 1 mg/kg/d for 4 days followed by 0.5 mg/kg/d for 6 days; 7‐day: 1 mg/kg/d for 3 days followed by 0.5 mg/kg/d for 4 days. Of 17 dexamethasone‐treated infants, 4 received the 10‐day protocol, and 13 the 7‐day protocol.
Saline placebos were used during respective treatment periods. |
| Outcomes |
Pulmonary function tests, failure to extubate, mortality, hyperglycaemia, hypertension, infection, GI bleeding, NEC, mortality, time to extubation, rates of weight gain and head growth, need for home oxygen, duration of oxygen, ROP, CP |
| Notes |
Results in the abstract were updated with complete data provided by investigators in September 2000. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Random allocation by pharmacist |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Blinding of randomisation: yes
Random allocation by pharmacist |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Blinding of intervention: yes |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Use of placebo |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Blinding of outcome assessment: yes |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Complete follow‐up: yes for outcomes measured within the first year; no for later outcomes |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Insufficent information |
