| Methods |
Randomised controlled trial |
| Participants |
43 preterm babies 7 to 14 days old with birth weight 501 grams to 1500 grams, gestational age 24 to 32 weeks, needing mechanical ventilation with < 30% oxygen
Exclusions: congenital heart disease, IVH (grade IV), multiple anomalies |
| Interventions |
Intravenous dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg/d for 3 days, then 0.25 mg/kg/d for 3 days and 0.10 mg/kg for 1 day
Control infants were not given a placebo. |
| Outcomes |
Pulmonary function tests, inspired oxygen concentration, ventilator settings, BPD (36 weeks' PMA), infection, ROP, IVH |
| Notes |
— |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Blind drawing of random cards in sealed envelopes |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Yes |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Blinding of intervention: no |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Blinding of intervention: no |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Blinding of outcome measurement: only for respiratory mechanics |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Complete follow‐up: almost (43 of 44 randomised) |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
All prespecified outcomes reported |
