title: Maternal transdermal nitroglycerin use and early childhood development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of transdermal nitroglycerin (GTN) for preterm labour demonstrated a significant reduction in neonatal morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate developmental performance in the children born to women who participated in the GTN trial after one year and two years of follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) were used for the assessments, and five domains of child development (communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and personal social skills) were evaluated. Supplementary analyses were performed after stratifying study subjects by gestational age at birth (< 28, 28 to 32, 33 to 36, ≥ 37 weeks) or by defining study subjects as normal or abnormal using standard cut-offs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 153 infants born to women who participated in the GTN trial were included in the initial follow-up. Among them, 111 (72.5%) children (55 in the GTN arm and 56 in the placebo arm) at 12 months of age and 83 (54.2%) children (42 in the GTN arm and 41 in the placebo arm) at 24 months of age completed the full ASQ. There were no differences in ASQ total score and five subscores between the GTN arm and the placebo arm at the one-year and two-year follow-up evaluations, in overall study subjects, or after stratifying study subjects by gestational age. A trend towards reduced abnormalities in the GTN arm at the two-year follow-up was observed, although there was no statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal GTN use for preterm labour had no impact on children's long-term development, but larger studies are needed to confirm the preliminary findings of this study.
authors.affiliation: OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa ON; School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Huaihua Medical College, Huaihua, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa ON; Huaihua Medical College, Huaihua, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Rihua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa ON; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Shi Wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Queen's Perinatal Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kingston General Hospital, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Graeme N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D002170:Canada; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin