| Methods |
Double‐blind randomised controlled trial |
| Participants |
15 infants ventilator‐dependent between 11 and 14 days of age with FiO2 > 0.60 |
| Interventions |
Dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg/d for 2 days, then 0.3 mg/kg/d for 3 days (total dose 1.9 mg/kg)
Identical volume saline placebo |
| Outcomes |
Main outcomes was cortisol response to ACTH.
Other outcomes included mortality and acute complications. |
| Notes |
— |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Random allocation via a random number table |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Allocation concealment: yes |
| 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 |
Blinding of intervention: yes |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Blinding of outcome measurement: yes |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Complete follow‐up: yes |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
All prespecified outcomes reported |
