Treatment response and outcomes
Treatment response was stratified according to the degree of resolution
for sore throat at 24 hours, as reported by the patient via clinician
examination; non-responders with no improvement at 24 hours, partial
responders with less than 50% NRS reduction compared with the score at
admission, and responders with a more than 50% change in NRS. The
primary outcome was the proportion of responders and the factors
associated with response to dexamethasone. The secondary outcomes were
as follows: 1) resolution of fever at 24 hours; and 2) Safety of
infection after adjuvant dexamethasone. The safety profiles of steroid
use-induced infectious disease were collected from patient electronic
medical records.