Supplementary Data — Dexamethasone for COVID-19: real-time meta-analysis of 15 studies

October 2026

Dexamethasone COVID-19 outcomes

StudyImprovementRR · 95% CIOutcomeTreatmentControlRelative Risk
Kocks (DB RCT)−300%4.00 · 0.27–58.22hosp.2/40/2COPPER Kocks (DB RCT)−450%5.50 · 0.41–73.65severe case3/40/2COPPER Kocks (DB RCT)−600%7.00 · 0.55–89.40no recov.4/40/2COPPER Tomazini (RCT)3%0.97 · 0.72–1.31death85/15191/148CoDEX Tomazini (RCT)34%0.66 · 0.43–1.03misc.151 (n)148 (n)CoDEX Horby (RCT)13%0.87 · 0.79–0.96death596/2,1041,297/4,321RECOVERY Horby (RCT)17%0.83 · 0.75–0.93death482/2,1041,110/4,321RECOVERY Horby (RCT)21%0.79 · 0.64–0.97ventilation110/1,780298/3,638RECOVERY Horby (RCT)9%0.91 · 0.85–0.97no disch.2,104 (n)4,321 (n)RECOVERY Jamaati (RCT)−7%1.07 · 0.69–1.65death16/2515/25 Jamaati (RCT)−18%1.18 · 0.66–2.11ventilation13/2511/25 Munch (DB RCT)13%0.87 · 0.70–1.07death157/490180/478LD1 Munch (DB RCT)14%0.86 · 0.68–1.08death133/491155/480LD1 Crothers (PSW)−59%1.59 · 1.39–1.81death7,507 (n)7,443 (n) Crothers (PSW)−76%1.76 · 1.47–2.12death3,124 (n)6,006 (n) Crothers (PSW)−8%1.08 · 0.86–1.36death4,383 (n)1,437 (n) Maskin (RCT)10%0.90 · 0.79–1.02death49 (n)49 (n)LD1 Maskin (RCT)0%1.00 · 0.66–1.52death23/4923/49LD1 Maskin (RCT)−5%1.05 · 0.65–1.71death20/4919/49LD1 Wu (RCT)−133%2.33 · 0.87–6.24death11/525/55LD1 Wu (RCT)−45%1.45 · 0.55–3.86no improv.52 (n)55 (n)LD1 Wu (RCT)−9%1.09 · 0.46–2.60no improv.52 (n)55 (n)LD1 Mourad10%0.90 · 0.86–0.95death Mourad10%0.90 · 0.78–1.03death7,537 (n)5,503 (n) Mourad8%0.92 · 0.86–0.98death Mourad13%0.87 · 0.73–1.04death6,826 (n)792 (n) Mourad18%0.82 · 0.68–0.99death2,660 (n)1,013 (n) Horby (RCT)−15%1.15 · 0.95–1.39death241/905200/844RECOVERY high-doseLD1 Horby (RCT)−59%1.59 · 1.20–2.10death123/65975/613RECOVERY high-doseLD1 Horby (RCT)−46%1.46 · 0.75–2.83ventilation22/65914/613RECOVERY high-doseLD1 Franco-Mor.. (RCT)−134%2.34 · 0.45–12.34ventilation4/582/68EARLY-DEX Franco-Mor.. (RCT)−217%3.17 · 0.13–76.42ICU1/580/68EARLY-DEX Franco-Mor.. (RCT)−17%1.17 · 0.52–2.62ARDS10/5810/68EARLY-DEX Franco-Mor.. (RCT)3%0.97 · 0.67–1.39hosp. time58 (n)68 (n)EARLY-DEX Yen−103%2.03 · 1.40–2.94death572 (n)1,624 (n) Bhat (PSM)−35%1.35 · 0.88–2.07death46/52934/529 Bhat (PSM)−46%1.46 · 1.06–2.00no improv.83/52957/529 Garneau−31%1.31 · 0.09–19.00death1/131/17 Garneau−423%5.23 · 0.66–41.41ICU4/131/17 Garneau−155%2.55 · 0.95–6.83hosp. time13 (n)17 (n) Bepouka−104%2.04 · 0.20–25.00death70 (n)340 (n)
00.511.52+
1 LD: comparison with low dose treatment
Rotate screen for more detailsIncrease width for more details
← Dexamethasone
reduces risk
Dexamethasone
increases risk →
Fig. S1. All outcomes.
Loading..
Fig. S2. Comparison of results for RCTs versus observational studies. For COVID-19 treatments, there is no significant difference between the results of RCTs and observational studies. Observational studies do not systematically over or underestimate efficacy. For high-cost treatments, there is a non-significant trend towards RCTs showing greater efficacy.