Univariate analyses of clinical and laboratory parameters associated with the use of intravenous pulse methylprednisolone
| Not responding to ribavirin+low dose steroid (n = 113)* | Responding to ribavirin+low dose steroid (n = 25)* | Odds ratio (95% CI) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Values are mean (SD). | ||||
| †Per 100 units increase. | ||||
| ‡Per 10 units increase. | ||||
| Parameters at presentation | ||||
| Age (years) | 39.9 (16.4) | 37.5 (17.8) | 1.01 (0.98 to 1.04) | 0.5 |
| Male sex (%) | 48.7% | 44.0% | 1.21 (0.51 to 2.88) | 0.7 |
| Duration between onset of symptom and treatment (days) | 5.4 (2.7) | 6.1 (2.8) | 0.91 (0.77 to 1.07) | 0.2 |
| Platelet (×109/l) | 146 (58) | 175 (64) | 0.92 (0.86 to 0.99)‡ | 0.03 |
| Neutrophil count (×109/l) | 4 (2) | 3 (1) | 1.30 (0.98 to 1.74) | 0.1 |
| Lymphocyte count (×109/l) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0.82 (0.45 to 1.48) | 0.5 |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (s) | 42.3 (7.3) | 40.4 (10.4) | 1.04 (0.97 to 1.11) | 0.3 |
| Sodium (mmol/l) | 135.5 (3.5) | 136.0 (2.5) | 0.95 (0.83 to 1.09) | 0.5 |
| Urea (mmol/l) | 4.8 (5.4) | 4.4 (1.1) | 1.02 (0.91 to 1.14) | 0.7 |
| Creatinine (μmol/l) | 101 (118) | 86 (22) | 1.01 (0.98 to 1.03) | 0.4 |
| Alanine transferase (IU/l) | 28.8 (30.1) | 62.8 (158.1) | 1.01 (0.99 to 1.03) | 0.1 |
| Creatinine kinase (U/l) | 390.1 (675.1) | 219.3 (272.3) | 1.08 (0.95 to 1.23)† | 0.2 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (U/l) | 370.4 (196.5) | 262.4 (114.4) | 1.56 (1.07 to 2.25)† | 0.02 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 117 (18) | 109 (11) | 1.36 (1.02 to 1.83)‡ | 0.04 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 62 (11) | 61 (11) | 1.07 (0.72 to 1.59)‡ | 0.7 |
| Pulse rate/min | 94 (14) | 92 (13) | 1.15 (0.84 to 1.57)‡ | 0.4 |
| C-reactive protein (mg/dl) | 51.9 (57.2) | 9.6 (10.3) | 2.18 (1.12 to 4.25)‡ | 0.02 |
| Parameters during treatment | ||||
| Peak d-dimer (ng/ml) | 1184 (1201) | 1247 (2119) | 0.3 | |
| Lymphocyte count (nadir) (×109/l) | 0.3 (0.2) | 0.6 (0.4) | <0.001 | |
| Creatinine kinase (peak) (U/l) | 515.7 (761.4) | 246.4 (268.8) | 0.1 | |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (peak) (U/l) | 468.6 (251.5) | 279.0 (109.5) | 0.001 | |
| Systolic blood pressure (nadir) (mm Hg) | 95 (9) | 94 (16) | 0.6 | |
| Diastolic blood pressure (nadir) (mm Hg) | 48 (7) | 49 (8) | 0.7 | |
| Pulse rate/min (peak) | 107 (15) | 99 (11) | 0.01 | |
| C-reactive protein (peak) (mg/dl) | 82.6 (83.8) | 13.1 (15.7) | <0.001 | |