A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 4 trials enrolling 284 children younger than 15 years with dengue-related shock, and 4 trials enrolling 664 children and adults with dengue at an early stage of infection (without shock).
The trials on dengue-related shock did not detect an effect on death (4 trials, 284 participants), the need for blood transfusion (2 trials, 89 participants), pulmonary haemorrhage (1 trial, 63 participants), convulsions (1 trial, 63 participants), or duration of hospitalization (1 trial, 63 participants).
The trials with dengue at an early stage of infection (without shock) enrolled 664 children and adultsin Columbia, India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. There were no evidence of effects of oral or intravenous corticosteroids on mortality (4 trials, 664 participants), or on the development of complications of severe dengue such as shock (2 trials, 286 participants), severe bleeding (2 trials, 425 participants), severe thrombocytopaenia (1 trial, 225 participants), ascites (1 trial, 178 participants) and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (2 trials, 286 participants).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment), by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison and few outcome events).
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