Comparison 2.

Steroids versus placebo/no steroids in patients with dengue at an early stage

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Complications in dengue at an early stage	4		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 Death	4	664	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
1.2 Severe dengue: dengue‐related shock	2	286	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.30 [0.48, 3.51]
1.3 Severe dengue: severe bleeding	2	425	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.50 [0.24, 9.30]
1.4 Severe thrombocytopaenia	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.51 [0.31, 7.28]
1.5 Ascites	1	178	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.12 [0.01, 2.13]
1.6 ICU admission	2	286	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.38, 1.99]
1.7 Any bleeding	2	403	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.84 [0.72, 0.98]
1.8 Hospital admission	1	179	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.63 [0.29, 1.37]
2 Platelet count on days one to four	2		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 Day 1	2	261	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.88 [‐3.55, 1.80]
2.2 Day 2	2	246	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.35 [‐5.02, 5.71]
2.3 Day 3	2	216	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.58 [‐5.81, 10.96]
2.4 Day 4	2	143	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐6.97 [‐20.69, 6.75]
3 Haematocrit on days one to four	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
3.1 Day 1	1	200	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐1.54, 1.54]
3.2 Day 2	1	185	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.90 [‐0.70, 2.50]
3.3 Day 3	1	155	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.60 [‐2.29, 1.09]
3.4 Day 4	1	82	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.0 [‐0.16, 4.16]
4 White blood cell count on days one to four	1		Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
4.1 Day 1	1	200	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.90 [‐1.64, ‐0.16]
4.2 Day 2	1	185	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.86, 0.86]
4.3 Day 3	1	155	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.5 [‐1.49, 0.49]
4.4 Day 4	1	81	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.29 [‐1.68, 1.10]
5 Adverse events in dengue at an early stage	2		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
5.1 Patients with serious adverse events	2	403	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.00 [0.50, 2.03]
5.2 Patients with any adverse events	2	403	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.89 [0.57, 1.38]
6 Patients with drug‐related adverse events	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
6.1 Hyperglycaemia	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.33 [0.69, 7.90]
6.2 Hypertension	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.17 [0.01, 4.10]
6.3 Pneumonia	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.51 [0.03, 7.88]
6.4 Upper respiratory infection	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.51 [0.24, 9.41]
7 Patients with other reported events	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
7.1 Urticaria	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.17 [0.01, 4.10]
7.2 Febrile convulsion	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.5 [0.06, 35.96]
7.3 Diarrhoea	1	225	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
8 Patients with adverse events low‐dose steroids versus placebo	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
8.1 Patients with serious adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.6 [0.23, 1.57]
8.2 Patients with any adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.73 [0.42, 1.27]
9 Patients with adverse events high‐dose steroids versus placebo	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
9.1 Patients with serious adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.4 [0.66, 2.95]
9.2 Patients with any adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.64, 1.70]
10 Patients with adverse events low‐dose versus high‐dose steroids	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
10.1 Patients with any serious adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.43 [0.17, 1.06]
10.2 Patients with any adverse events	1	150	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.40, 1.21]