Blood pressure support in extremely premature infants is affected by different courses of antenatal steroids.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of partial, single and multiple courses of antenatal corticosteroids (ANS) on the need for blood pressure support in extremely premature infants.


METHODS
Extremely premature infants with gestational age of 24 to 28 weeks were included in this study during a 5-year period. The main outcome measure of the study was the amount of blood pressure support during the first 3 days of life.


RESULTS
The study infants (n = 163) were divided into: infants not exposed (ANS; n = 27) and exposed to ANS (ANS; n = 136). Blood pressure support was significantly lower in ANS compared with No ANS (65% vs 96%; p = 0.003) and in single course (SANS; n = 73) and >or=2 courses (MANS; n = 34) compared with partial course of ANS (PANS; n = 29) (62%, 56% vs 86%; p = 0.03). The number of infants who received volume support and the amount of volume support were significantly lower in ANS compared with that in No ANS (p < 0.001) and in SANS and MANS compared with that in PANS (p < 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to multiple courses of ANS was as beneficial as single course of ANS in decreasing the need for blood pressure support in extremely premature infants.
Nair
G V
GV
Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College Of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48909-7980, USA.
Omar
S A
SA
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones