Palliative care 2016

Dose of dexamethasone ?

Randomized, double blinded study Improvement in Karnofski score (mean +/- SD)

Study A

Day 7

Day 28

Dexa 8 mg Dexa 16 mg

8.0 (+/-10.1) 7.3 (+/-14.2)

Study B

Day 7

Day 28

Dexa 4 mg Dexa 16 mg

6.7 (+/-11.3) 9.1 (+/-12.4)

7.1 +/- 18.2 5.6 +/- 18.5

N=96

Loading dose not based on evidence, but it does not cause serious side effects

Vecht et al Neurology 44(4): 675; 1994