Dexamethasone to prevent postextubation airway obstruction in adults: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Table 1 Demographic data of patients.

	Dexamethasone group (n = 40)	Placebo group (n = 40)	P value
Age (years)^a	72.4 ± 14.7	72.7 ± 13.8	0.55
Gender^b			0.66
Female	34 (85)	32 (88)
Male	6 (15)	8 (12)
Body weight (kg)^a	58.6 ± 9.6	57.5 ± 10.6	0.68
Height (cm)^a	155.8 ± 6.9	152.9 ± 7.3	0.10
APACHE II score^a	19.5 ± 2.9	21.5 ± 3.7	0.08
Albumin (g/dl)^a	2.6 ± 0.6	2.5 ± 0.6	0.98
Hemoglobin (g/dl)^a	9.7 ± 1.7	9.4 ± 1.3	0.30
Internal diameter of endotracheal tube^b			0.14
6.5 or 7 mm	5 (12)	4 (10)
7.5 or 8.0 mm	35 (88)	36 (90)
Intubation time (hours)^a	167.3 ± 48.1	158.5 ± 49.0	0.95
Reason for intubation^b			0.94
Pneumonia	11 (28)	9 (23)
Sepsis	4 (10)	5 (13)
Heart failure	4 (10)	5 (13)
Acute respiratory distress syndrome	2 (5)	3 (8)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	5 (13)	4 (10)
Asthma	0	1 (3)
Other	14 (35)	13 (33)
Glasgow Coma Scale score			0.65
3–8	11	10
9–12	14	11
13–15	15	19

^aData are presented as mean ± standard deviation; ^bdata are presented as number of patients (percentage of patients). APACHE II, Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II.

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