Mortality at 28 days was 17 % ( 45 of 269 patients ) in the placebo-placebo group , 14 % ( 38 of 266 patients ) in the prednisolone-placebo group , 19 % ( 50 of 258 patients ) in the pentoxifylline-placebo group , and 13 % ( 35 of 260 patients ) in the prednisolone-pentoxifylline group .