Frequency of mortality in neonatal meningitis in dexamethasone vs. placebo group.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of mortality in neonatal meningitis in dexamethasone vs. placebo group as an adjunct to the usual treatment. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Setting: Department of Paediatrics, Neonatal section, Mayo Hospital Lahore. Period: September 2014 to March 2015. Material & Methods: The consecutive non-probability sampling technique was used in this study. Total 100 patients were included, 50 in each group. Patients were assigned either of following two treatment groups. One group is standard antibiotics plus Dexamethasone and the other one is standard antibiotics plus Placebo. Trial and placebo groups received their respective treatments (Dexamethasone plus standard antibiotics and placebo plus standard antibiotics) according to the protocol. Percentage of patients dying in dexamethasone group was compared with those in the control group by using Chi-square test. Period: From September 2014 to March 2015. Results: In our study the mean age of the patients was 14.92 days. The male to female ratio was 1:1. Mortality occurred in 34 neonates under study and among these 34 cases,12 were belonging to those who had received dexamethasone and 22 were from those who had received placebo, this difference between two groups was statistically significant (p-value=0.035). Conclusion: Dexamethasone is efficacious drug and significantly reduces the mortality in infants as compared to the placebo group patients in the treatment of neonatal meningitis.