Table 1 Baseline characteristics of selected trials

Marik 1993

USA

30 total patients, 16 control group patients, and 14 steroids group patients. Age: control group 40.6 ± 14.7 years steroids group 31.7 ± 12.8 years APACHE II score: control group 14.2 ± 6.4 steroids group 11.2 ± 1.96

RCT

Hydrocortisone Single dose 10 mg/kg

700

Confalonierial 2005

Italy

46 total patients, 23 control group patients, and 23 steroids group patients. Age: control group 66.6 ± 4.7 years steroids group 60.4 ± 17.3 years Male: control group 65%, steroids group 74% APACHE II score: control group 18.2 ± 4.0 steroids group 17.2 ± 4.1

RCT

Hydrocortisone 7 d IV 200 mg bolus followed by infusion at a rate of 10 mg/hour

1880

EI Ghamrawy 2006

Saudi Arabia

34 total patients, 17 control group patients, and 17 steroids group patients. Age: control group 60.6(15.2) years steroids group 62.9 (15.6) years

RCT

Hydrocortisone 7 d loading dose of 200 mg, followed by 240 mg/day

1880

Sabry 2011

Egypt

80 total patients, 40 control group patients, and 40 steroids group patients. Age: control group 62.5(4.26) years steroids group 61.95(6.97)years Male: control group 70% steroids group 75% Average SOFA sccore(SD): control group 8.2(1.46) steroids group 8.5(1.52)

RCT

Hydrocortisone 7 d loading dose of 200 mg over 30 min, followed by 300 mg/day

2300

Nafae 2013

Egypt

80 total patients, 20 control group patients, and 60 steroids group patients. Age: control group 45.8 ± 13.1 years steroids group 50.1 ± 13.3 years Male:control group 65% steroids group 53%

RCT

Hydrocortisone 7 d 200 mg IV once (only at day 1) then 10 mg/h IV infusion

1880

Torres 2015

Spain

120 total patients, 59 control group patients, and 61 steroids group patients. Age: control group 66.1 (20.1) years steroids group 64.5 (19.1) years Male:control group 66% steroids group 57%

RCT

Methylprednisolone 5 d 0.5 mg/kg BD

875

Meduri (ESCAPeStudy)2022

United States

563 total patients, 277 control group patients, and 286 steroids group patients. Age: control group 68.6 ± 11.1 years steroids group 69 ± 10.8 years Male:control group 95% steroids group 97% APACHE III score: control group 53.4 ± 28.7 steroids group 54.3 ± 29.4 Average SOFA sccore(SD): control group 6.29 ± 2.85 steroids group 6.68 ± 3

RCT

Methylprednisolone 20 d 7 days of full dose (40 mg/day), 7 days of half dose (20 mg/day), and 6 days of tapering doses (12 mg/day and 4 mg/day)

2340

P.-F. Dequin 2023

France

795 total patients, 395 control group patients, and 400 steroids group patients. Age: control group 67 (58–78) years steroids group 67 (58–77) years Male:control group 69% steroids group 70% Average SOFA sccore(SD): control group 4 (3–6) steroids group 4 (3–6)

RCT

Hydrocortisone 8d or 14d 200 mg daily for either 4 or 8 days as determined by clinical improvement, followed by tapering for a total of 8 or 14 days

1100 or 1950