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.