Short- and long-term effects of neonatal glucocorticoid therapy: is hydrocortisone an alternative to dexamethasone?
OBJECTIVE
To compare short-term effects and neurodevelopmental outcome of neonatal glucocorticoid therapy between two centres.


METHODS
A retrospective study was performed in two centres using a tapering course of either 5 to 1 mg kg(-1) hydrocortisone (HC; 22 d) or 0.5 to 0.1 mg kg(-1) dexamethasone (DEX; 21 d). In both centres glucocorticoid-treated infants and control patients were matched for gestational age, birthweight, severity of infant respiratory distress syndrome and periventricular-intraventricular haemorrhage. The following short-term glucocorticoid-induced effects were investigated in 25 HC-treated and 25 control patients in centre A, and in 23 DEX-treated and 23 control patients in centre B: oxygen dependency (inspiratory oxygen fraction), arterial pressure, blood glucose and urea concentrations, weight gain and head circumference before, during and after therapy (in treated infants), or at an interval comparable to treated infants (in control infants). Neurological outcome, psychomotor development and school performance at 5-7 y of age was evaluated in all groups.


RESULTS
HC and DEX were equally potent in reducing oxygen dependency. Mean arterial pressure as well as blood glucose and urea concentrations were significantly increased during DEX, but not during HC treatment. Weight gain stopped during DEX therapy, but not during HC. Head circumference in both treatment groups was decreased after therapy compared with controls. Neonatally DEX-treated children needed special school education significantly more often (p < 0.01) than controls at 5-7 y of age. No differences between neonatally HC-treated children and controls on neurodevelopmental outcome were found at 5-7 y of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatal HC therapy has fewer short- and long-term adverse effects than neonatal DEX therapy.
van der Heide-Jalving
M
M
Department of Neonatology, University Medical Centre/Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kamphuis
P J G H
PJ
van der Laan
M J
MJ
Bakker
J M
JM
Wiegant
V M
VM
Heijnen
C J
CJ
Veen
S
S
van Bel
F
F
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013995:Time; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003907:Dexamethasone; D014508:Urea; D010100:Oxygen; D006854:Hydrocortisone