Table 1. Basic characteristics of study patients by dexamethasone dose group.
| Low-dose group (6 mg), n = 55 | High-dose group (20 mg), n = 52 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, yr mean (SD) | 57.9 (16.9) | 56.1 (14.2) |
| Male, n (%) | 29 (52.7) | 27 (51.9) |
| Race, n (%) | ||
| White | 24 (43.6) | 29 (55.8) |
| Black or African American | 17 (31.0) | 15 (28.9) |
| Hispanic/Mexican American | 10 (18.2) | 5 (9.6) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2 (3.6) | 2 (3.9) |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 1 (1.8) | 1 (1.9) |
| Multiple Races/Other | 1 (1.8) | 0 (0) |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 33.4 (9.7) | 33.7 (9.3) |
| Past Medical History, n (%) | ||
| Obesity | 18 (32.7) | 20 (38.5) |
| Diabetes | 18 (32.7) | 13 (25) |
| Chronic lung disease | 9 (16.4) | 8 (15.4) |
| Heart disease | 20 (36.4) | 10 (19.2) |
| Severe liver disease * | 0 (0) | 1 (1.9) |
| Severe kidney disease † | 8 (14.6) | 4 (7.7) |
| Current cancer | 2 (3.6) | 5 (9.6) |
| None of the above medical history | 5 (9.1) | 6 (11.5) |
| Days from first COVID symptoms to randomization, median (IQR) | 7 (5–11) | 8 (5–11) |
| Days from first COVID-19 test positive to randomization, median (IQR) | 2 (1–6) | 2 (1–6) |
| COVID vaccination history, n (%)‡ | ||
| Did not receive vaccination | 48 (88.9) | 46 (93.9) |
| Partially vaccinated | 4 (7.40) | 2 (4.08) |
| Fully vaccinated | 2 (3.70) | 1 (2.04) |
| OSCI at randomization, n (%) | ||
| 4 | 32 (58.2) | 31 (59.6) |
| 5 | 15 (27.3) | 14 (26.9) |
| 6 | 5 (9.1) | 5 (9.6) |
| 7 | 3 (5.5) | 2 (3.9) |
| PaO2/FiO2 ratio, n (%) | ||
| 201–300 | 12 (21.8) | 12 (23.1) |
| 101–200 | 27 (49.1) | 26 (50) |
| ≤100 | 16 (29.1) | 14 (26.9) |
| Serum ferritin, n (%)§ | ||
| High (>322 ng/ml) | 41 (82.0) | 34 (72.3) |
IQR = interquartile range
PaO2/FiO2 = partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio
SD = standard deviation
* Severe liver disease was defined as requiring ongoing specialist care.
† Severe kidney impairment was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of less than 30 ml per minute per 1.73 m2.
‡ 103 participants answered this question and were included in the analysis.
§ 97 participants had serum ferritin data at randomization.