title: Prenatal treatment with glucocorticoids sensitizes the hpa axis response to stress among full-term infants.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the consequences for HPA axis functioning among healthy full-term newborns of prenatal treatment with the synthetic glucocorticoid (GC), betamethasone, which is the routine treatment for threatened preterm delivery. Ninety full-term infants were recruited into two study groups (30 betamethasone treated; 60 comparison group matched for GA at birth and sex). The cortisol and behavioral response to the painful stress of a heel-stick blood draw was assessed 24 hr after birth. Full-term infants exposed to prenatal betamethasone displayed a larger cortisol response to the heel-stick procedure, despite no differences in baseline levels. Further, within the recommended window of betamethasone administration (24-34 gestational weeks), infants exposed to betamethasone earlier in gestation displayed the largest cortisol response to the heel-stick. These data add to accumulating evidence that prenatal exposure to elevated GCs programs the development of the HPA axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, 333 City Blvd W., Suite 1200, Orange, CA 92868, USA. edavis@uci.edu
authors.forename: Elysia Poggi
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Feizal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Waffarn
authors.forename: Curt A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sandman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000517:prevention & control; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001623:Betamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone