Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

3 questions · 4 findings · 1 reviews · Neonatal

No studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 0 · 0%Very low 1 · 25%Low 3 · 75%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

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