Table 1 Clinical characteristics of patients treated with steroids and of those untreated

Number of patients

16

28

Sex (female/male)

43.7%/56.3%

53.5%/46.5%

p = 0.530

Age (years)

6.4

5.1

p = 0.196

Time between onset of varicella to hospitalization (days)

6

11

p < 0.001

Length of hospitalization (days)

16

7.9

p < 0.001

Ataxia

100%

85.7%

p = 0.279

Slurred speech

50%

35.7%

p = 0.353

Vomiting

43.7%

28.5%

p = 0.306

Headache

43.7%

25%

p = 0.197

Dysmetry

43.7%

17.8%

p = 0.085

Tremor

31.2%

21.4%

p = 0.492

Irritability

12.5%

7.1%

p = 0.163

Nystagmus

6.2%

3.5%

p = 1