[Glucocorticoid-induced hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in premature infants: apropos of 4 cases].
BACKGROUND
The steroidal treatment used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BD) in the preterm babies may be the cause of several complications, one of them being hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.


METHODS
Four infants developed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy during glucocorticoid (dexamethasone and/or betamethasone) treatment for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In one of them, septal hypertrophy led to left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and congestive heart failure. All four were premature infants born after 2 weeks of gestation and weighing 780 to 1,080 g. The first echocardiographic changes appeared between the 4th and 15th day of the glucocorticoid course when the cumulated dose was respectively 1.82-1.87-3.51 and 3.86 mg/kg. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy resolved completely between 2 and 4 weeks after cessation of the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The glucocorticoid dosage to prevent BD should be reduced to 0.3 mg/kg/j and the myocardial function should be monitored by repeated echocardiograms during the first 15 days of treatment.
Boeuf
B
B
Service de néonatologie, CHU Clemenceau, Caen, France.
Maragnes
P
P
Belzic
I
I
Lacotte
J
J
Bonte
J B
JB
Guillois
B
B
D001623:Betamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D001623:Betamethasone
Myocardiopathie hypertrophique induite par les glucocorticoïdes chez le prématuré: à propos de quatre cas.