* pregnancy or active lactation * known history of dexamethasone allergy * daily use of corticosteroids in the past 15 days * clinical indication for corticosteroids use for other diseases (i.e refractory septic shock) * patients who did use corticosteroids during hospital stay for periods equal or greater than two days * use of immunosuppressive drugs * cytotoxic chemotherapy in the past 21 days * neutropenia due to hematological or solid malignancies with bone marrow invasion * patient expected to die in the next 24 hours

* pregnancy or active lactation * known history of dexamethasone allergy * daily use of corticosteroids in the past 15 days * clinical indication for corticosteroids use for other diseases (i.e refractory septic shock) * patients who did use corticosteroids during hospital stay for periods equal or greater than two days * use of immunosuppressive drugs * cytotoxic chemotherapy in the past 21 days * neutropenia due to hematological or solid malignancies with bone marrow invasion * patient expected to die in the next 24 hours

- pregnancy or active lactation - known history of dexamethasone allergy - daily use of corticosteroids in the past 15 days - clinical indication for corticosteroids use for other diseases (i.e refractory septic shock) - patients who did use corticosteroids during hospital stay for periods equal or greater than two days - use of immunosuppressive drugs - cytotoxic chemotherapy in the past 21 days - neutropenia due to hematological or solid malignancies with bone marrow invasion - patient expected to die in the next 24 hours

- pregnancy or active lactation - known history of dexamethasone allergy - daily use of corticosteroids in the past 15 days - clinical indication for corticosteroids use for other diseases (i.e refractory septic shock) - patients who did use corticosteroids during hospital stay for periods equal or greater than two days - use of immunosuppressive drugs - cytotoxic chemotherapy in the past 21 days - neutropenia due to hematological or solid malignancies with bone marrow invasion - patient expected to die in the next 24 hours