- All adults suspected of having bacterial meningitis should receive steroids
- Should be given before or with the administration of antibiotics
- May still be beneficial if initiated up to 12 h after first dose of antibiotics
- Recommended therapy is 10 mg dexamethasone IV 6 hourly
- Recommended duration depends upon organism identified:
- Continue for 4 days in confirmed or suspected pneumococcal meningitis
- If another cause of meningitis is confirmed or thought probable, steroids should be stopped
