| | Variable | Dexamethasone (n = 83) | Usual care (n = 137) | value |
| | Dexamethasone therapy | | Therapy start since the 1st day of fever, days, median (IQR) | 10 (8–13) | NA | NA | | Duration of therapy, days, median (IQR) | 3 (3–3) | | Cumulative dose, mg, median (IQR) | 36 (28–40) | | Hydroxychloroquine, n (%) | 19 (23) | 30 (22) | 0.864 | | Sarilumab, n (%) | 12 (14) | 8 (6) | 0.031 | | Tocilizumab, n (%) | 14 (17) | 13 (9) | 0.106 | | Antibiotics, n (%) | 81 (98) | 133 (97) | 0.822 | | DVT prophylaxis, n (%) | 83 (100) | 132 (96) | 0.078 | | RBC transfusion, n (%) | 21 (25) | 27 (20) | 0.330 | | Dialysis, n (%) | 24 (29) | 27 (20) | 0.117 | | Vasopressor agents, n (%) | 54 (65) | 66 (48) | 0.015 | | NEpi, n (%) | 34 (41) | 41 (30) | 0.469 | | NEpi + Epi, n (%) | 18 (22) | 22 (16) | | | NEpi + Epi + other agents, n (%) | 2 (2) | 3 (2) | | | Highest dose, mcg/kg, median (IQR) | 0.7 (0.2–1.2) | 0.6 (0.2–1.0) | 0.339 | | Nutrition, n (%) | | Oral intake | 20 (24) | 60 (44) | 0.003 | | NG feeding tube | 50 (60) | 71 (52) | 0.224 | | NG feeding tube + PN | 13 (16) | 6 (4) | 0.004 | | O2 therapy, n (%) | | Nasal cannula | 54 (65) | 102 (74) | 0.137 | | HFNC | 14 (17) | 25 (18) | 0.867 | | Noninvasive mechanical ventilation | 13 (16) | 3 (2) | <0.001 | | Intubation, n (%) | 59 (71) | 71 (52) | 0.005 | | Tracheostomy, n (%) | 46/59 (78) | 40/71 (56) | 0.009 | | Day of tracheostomy after intubation, days, median (IQR) | 5 (3–7) | 6 (3–14) | 0.563 | | ECMO, n (%) | 1 (1.2) | 2 (1.5) | 0.865 | | Extubation/decannulation, n (%) | 27/59 (46) | 23/71 (32) | 0.119 | | Duration of ventilation, days, median (IQR) | 16 (9–22) | 12 (5–19) | 0.026 | | Duration of ventilation in survivors, days, median (IQR) | 20 (12–31) | 17 (12–25) | 0.158 |
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CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Epi, epinephrine; HFNC, high-flow nasal cannula; ICU, intensive care unit; IQR, interquartile range; NA, not applicable; NEpi, norepinephrine; NG, nasogastric; PN, parenteral nutrition; RBC, red blood cells. Bold values denote statistical significance.
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