Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

7 questions · 8 findings · 2 reviews · Headline outcomes only

No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 0 · 0%Very low 1 · 12.5%Low 3 · 37.5%Moderate 2 · 25%High 2 · 25%

Death at hospital discharge · neonates with clinical and microbiological features of bacterial meningitis

It is very uncertain whether adjunctive steroid changes all‐cause death until hospital discharge compared with placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjuvant corticosteroids for reducing death in neonatal bacterial meningitis 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.46 [0.24, 0.88]
2 studies · 132 participants
Very low

Developmental delay at ≥ 18 months · neonates with clinical and microbiological features of bacterial meningitis

Adjunctive steroid showed no clear difference in number of participants with developmental delay compared with placebo (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjuvant corticosteroids for reducing death in neonatal bacterial meningitis 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.77 [0.32, 1.87]
1 study · 38 participants
Low

Hearing loss · neonates with clinical and microbiological features of bacterial meningitis

Adjunctive steroid showed no clear difference in hearing loss at 2 years of age compared with placebo (low certainty).

2 findings from 1 review

Adjuvant corticosteroids for reducing death in neonatal bacterial meningitis 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.8 [0.18, 18.21]
1 study · 38 participants
Low
Adjuvant corticosteroids for reducing death in neonatal bacterial meningitis 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.41 [0.17, 0.98]
1 study · 59 participants
Low

Death at 1 month (adults) · patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and HIV infection

Adjunctive corticosteroids leads to lower death at 1 month (adults) compared with no such treatment (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjunctive corticosteroids for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV infection 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.56 [0.32, 0.98]
6 studies · 489 participants
High

Death at 3 to 4 months (adults) · patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and HIV infection

Adjunctive corticosteroids leads to lower death at 3 to 4 months (adults) compared with no such treatment (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjunctive corticosteroids for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV infection 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.59 [0.41, 0.85]
5 studies · 448 participants
High

Death in hospital; children · patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and HIV infection

Adjunctive corticosteroids showed no clear difference in death in hospital; children compared with no such treatment (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjunctive corticosteroids for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV infection 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.81 [0.51, 1.29]
1 study · 100 participants
Moderate

Need for mechanical ventilation · patients with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and HIV infection

Adjunctive corticosteroids probably leads to lower need for mechanical ventilation at 1 month compared with no such treatment (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Adjunctive corticosteroids for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with HIV infection 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.38 [0.2, 0.73]
3 studies · 388 participants
Moderate