- patients with a history of allergy to dexamethasone. - pregnant or lactating women. - oral or inhaled corticosteroids treatment within 15 days before randomization. - immunosuppressive agent or cytotoxic drug therapy within 30 days before randomization. - neutropenia <1000 cells/µl. - human immunodeficiency virus infection with cd4 cell counts <500 cells within 90 days after randomization. - dementia. - chronic liver disease defined by alt or ast ≥5 times the upper limit of normal. - chronic kidney injury defined by a glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. - uncontrolled infection. - patients who are already enrolled in another clinical trial.

- patients with a history of allergy to dexamethasone. - pregnant or lactating women. - oral or inhaled corticosteroids treatment within 15 days before randomization. - immunosuppressive agent or cytotoxic drug therapy within 30 days before randomization. - neutropenia <1000 cells/µl. - human immunodeficiency virus infection with cd4 cell counts <500 cells within 90 days after randomization. - dementia. - chronic liver disease defined by alt or ast ≥5 times the upper limit of normal. - chronic kidney injury defined by a glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. - uncontrolled infection. - patients who are already enrolled in another clinical trial.