- pregnancy; - patients currently taking corticosteroids (cumulative 400 mg prednisone or equivalent); - severe underlying disease, i.e. end stage of malignancy disease or end stage of pulmonary disease; - severe adverse events before icu admission, i.e. cardiac arrest; - underlying disease requiring corticosteroids; - contraindication for corticosteroids; - recruited in other clinical intervention trial

- pregnancy; - patients currently taking corticosteroids (cumulative 400 mg prednisone or equivalent); - severe underlying disease, i.e. end stage of malignancy disease or end stage of pulmonary disease; - severe adverse events before icu admission, i.e. cardiac arrest; - underlying disease requiring corticosteroids; - contraindication for corticosteroids; - recruited in other clinical intervention trial