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Dexamethasone for COVID-19
11 studies with >11,000 patients
Hospital Icon Control
Hospital Icon Dexamethasone Serious Outcome Risk
3 studies from 3 independent teams in 2 countries show significant benefit.
COVID-19 Dexamethasone studies. Jun 2025. c19early.org
0 0.5 1 1.5+ All studies -12% With exclusions 1% Mortality -10% Hospitalization -51% Recovery -67% RCTs 10% RCT mortality 12% Early -132% Late 1% Favorsdexamethasone Favorscontrol
Recent:
Yen.
Jun 8
Covid Analysis Dexamethasone for COVID-19: real-time meta analysis of 11 studies
Meta analysis using the most serious outcome reported shows 12% [-7‑34%] higher risk, without reaching statistical significance. Control Dexamethasone While overall meta-analysis shows poor results, dexamethasone may reduce ris..
May 14
Bepouka et al., Infection and Drug Resistance, doi:10.2147/IDR.S499371 Clinical Characteristics and Mortality Trends Among COVID-19 Patients During the First Four Waves in Ngaliema Clinic, Democratic Republic of the Congo
104% higher mortality (p=0.55). Retrospective 410 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo showing significantly lower mortality with vitamin C treatment.
Nov 26
2024
Garneau et al., PLOS ONE, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0313289 Clinical effects of dexamethasone among patients with sickle cell disease hospitalized with COVID-19: Outcomes from a single academic health system
423% higher ICU admission (p=0.14) and 155% longer hospitalization (p=0.06). Retrospective 30 hospitalized patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) showing increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with dexamethasone treatment for COVID-19. There were also trends towards increased ICU admission and longer hosp..
Nov 25
2024
Zhao et al., BMC Infectious Diseases, doi:10.1186/s12879-024-10216-3 The impact of dexamethasone on short- and long-term mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study
34% lower mortality (p=0.01). Retrospective 576 hospitalized COVID-19 patients showing lower mortality with dexamethasone treatment.
Oct 22
2024
Kim et al., Scientific Reports, doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76871-3 One-year mortality and associated factors in older hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a Nationwide Cohort Study in Korea
29% higher mortality (p<0.0001). Retrospective 63,369 hospitalized COVID-19 survivors aged 60 years or older in Korea, showing lower 1-year mortality with macrolides (including azithromycin), higher 1-year mortality with corticosteroids (including dexamethasone and..
Oct 17
2024
Bhat et al., The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, doi:10.1210/clinem/dgae734 Effectiveness of Dexamethasone for COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
35% higher mortality (p=0.2) and 46% worse improvement (p=0.02). Retrospective propensity score matched study of 529 hospitalized diabetic COVID-19 patients showing no significant difference in mortality or clinical improvement with dexamethasone treatment.
Oct 16
2024
Zhuang et al., Scientific Reports, doi:10.1038/s41598-024-75926-9 Corticosteroids for hospitalized patients with severe/critical COVID-19: a retrospective study in Chongqing, China
5% higher mortality (p=0.86). Retrospective 406 hospitalized severe/critical COVID-19 patients in China showing no significant difference in 28-day mortality with corticosteroid treatment (methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, or both). Corticosteroids were associated wi..
Sep 17
2024
Zhu et al., The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, doi:10.4269/ajtmh.23-0710 Circulation of COVID-19-Related Medicines on Japanese Websites during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Quality and Authenticity
Investigation of the circulation and quality of COVID-19-related medicines sold online in Japan showing poor-quality ivermectin and dexamethasone. Four dexamethasone samples and two ivermectin samples failed quantitative analysis, and thr..
Aug 24
2024
Duraníková et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine, doi:10.3390/jcm13175013 Prevalence and Risk Factors of Headache Associated with COVID-19
42% lower PASC (p=0.08) and 3% improvement (p=0.9). Retrospective 295 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Slovakia showing 35% prevalence of headache, of which 41% of patients had persistent headache 12-15 months after infection. Authors' analysis of long COVID headache is only for the subgr..
Aug 22
2024
Leavy et al., ERJ Open Research, doi:10.1183/23120541.00474-2024 1-year health outcomes associated with systemic corticosteroids for COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study
Retrospective 1,888 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the UK showing no significant difference in health-related quality of life or other patient reported outcomes, physical and mental health outcomes, and organ function one year aft..
Aug 20
2024
Yen et al., BMC Infectious Diseases, doi:10.1186/s12879-024-09654-w Predictors for cause-specific and timing of deaths in patients with COVID-19: a cohort study in Taiwan
103% higher mortality (p=0.0002). Retrospective 2,196 COVID-19 patients in Taiwan (49% mild cases, 44% moderate, 7% severe) showing significantly higher mortality with dexamethasone.
Aug 9
2024
Wang et al., Inflammopharmacology, doi:10.1007/s10787-024-01520-0 Impact of corticosteroid doses on prognosis of severe and critical COVID-19 patients with Omicron variant infection: a propensity score matching study
23% higher mortality (p=0.03). Retrospective 1,167 severe/critical COVID-19 patients in China showing higher 28-day mortality with higher doses of corticosteroids (>50mg/day prednisone equivalent) compared to usual doses (30-50mg/day). The type of corticosteroid used d..
Jul 17
2024
Franco-Moreno et al., Frontiers in Medicine, doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1385833 Effect of early administration of dexamethasone in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia without acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and risk of development of acute respiratory distress syndrome: EARLY-DEX COVID-19 trial
134% higher ventilation (p=0.41), 217% higher ICU admission (p=0.46), 17% higher ARDS (p=0.81), and 3% shorter hospitalization (p=0.88). RCT 126 hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients not requiring oxygen at admission, showing no significant difference in outcomes with dexamethasone treatment.
Apr 17
2023
Mourad et al., JAMA Network Open, doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.8516 Dexamethasone for Inpatients With COVID-19 in a National Cohort
10% lower mortality (p=0.0002). PSM retrospective 80,699 hospitalized COVID-19 patients showing reduced mortality or discharge to hospice with dexamethasone in patients requiring supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation/ECMO, but no significant difference in patien..
Mar 21
2023
Madamombe et al., Pan African Medical Journal, doi:10.11604/pamj.2023.44.142.37858 Factors associated with COVID-19 fatality among patients admitted in Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe 2020-2022: a secondary data analysis
130% higher mortality (p<0.0001). Retrospective 672 COVID-19 patients in Zimbabwe, showing higher mortality with dexamethasone treatment.
Apr 30
2022
Kocks et al., ERJ Open Research, doi:10.1183/23120541.00129-2022 A potential harmful effect of dexamethasone in non-severe COVID-19: results from the COPPER-pilot study
600% worse recovery (p=0.07). Pilot RCT of 7 outpatients with non-severe COVID-19 suggesting potential harmful effects of dexamethasone treatment. Time to recovery was significantly longer in the dexamethasone group compared to controls (p=0.03). Authors note that sys..
Mar 8
2021
Fateh et al., medRxiv, doi:10.1101/2021.03.05.21251351 A single-center retrospective cohort study of Covid-19 medications: Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Methylprednisolone, Dexamethasone, and Interferon β1a and their combinations
Retrospective 324 hospitalized patients in Iran reporting on the use remdesivir, favipiravir, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, and Interferon β1a and their combinations. There is no control group in this study.
Feb 25
2021
Horby et al., New England Journal of Medicine, doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2021436 Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19
17% lower mortality (p=0.0007), 21% lower ventilation (p=0.03), and 9% higher hospital discharge (p=0.003). RCT 6,425 hospitalized COVID-19 patients showing lower 28-day mortality with dexamethasone treatment. The benefit was most pronounced in patients who had symptoms for more than 7 days at randomization, suggesting dexamethasone is most eff..
Oct 6
2020
Tomazini et al., JAMA, doi:10.1001/jama.2020.17021 Effect of Dexamethasone on Days Alive and Ventilator-Free in Patients With Moderate or Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and COVID-19
3% lower mortality (p=0.85) and 34% improvement (p=0.07). RCT 299 patients with moderate or severe COVID-19-related ARDS showing increased ventilator-free days with dexamethasone treatment. There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality (56.3% vs 61.5%), ICU-free days, or mechanical ven..
Dec 31
2012
Areskog et al., Veterinary Parasitology, doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.07.011 Dexamethasone treatment interferes with the pharmacokinetics of ivermectin in young cattle
Analysis of ivermectin and dexamethasone treatment in cattle, showing that dexamethasone interfered with the pharmacokinetics of ivermectin and reduced the efficacy of ivermectin.
Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. c19early involves the extraction of 200,000+ datapoints from thousands of papers. Community updates help ensure high accuracy. Treatments and other interventions are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment or intervention is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and benefits based on your medical history and situation. IMA and WCH provide treatment protocols.
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