title: Antenatal corticosteroid exposure at term increases adult adiposity: an experimental study in sheep.
abstract: Clinical practice guidelines for elective cesarean section at early-term gestation (37-38 weeks) recommend antenatal corticosteroids to reduce neonatal respiratory morbidity. However, the long-term health implications for offspring exposed to corticosteroids at term are unknown and may differ from the effects of preterm corticosteroid exposure. We therefore randomized singleton-bearing ewes (n = 64) to receive a clinically relevant dose of corticosteroids at term or no treatment. Body composition was assessed in adult offspring using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Relative to skeletal size female, but not male, offspring of steroid-treated ewes had increased weight and a greater fat mass than controls (relative weight: 49.1 ± 1.1 vs. 52.9 ± 1.2 kg/m², p = 0.02; relative fat mass: 5.4 ± 0.7 vs. 3.4 ± 0.7 kg/m², p = 0.04). Whether corticosteroid exposure at early-term gestation increases adult adiposity in humans is unknown and needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jaquiery
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012756:Sheep; D047929:Term Birth
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone