title: Prophylactic Interventions in Neonatology: How Do They Fare in Real Life?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the association of prophylactic antenatal steroids, indomethacin, and phototherapy with extremely preterm infant outcomes in a pragmatic setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of infants born at <28 weeks gestation and admitted to 26 Canadian Neonatal Network neonatal intensive care units between 2010 and 2012. Mortality, severe neurological injury, retinopathy, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, nosocomial infection, and patent ductus arteriosus ligation rates were compared between infants who received antenatal steroids, prophylactic indomethacin, and/or prophylactic phototherapy and those who did not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 3,465 eligible infants, 2,900 (84%) received antenatal steroids, 269 (8%) prophylactic indomethacin, and 403 (12%) prophylactic phototherapy. Associations were observed between antenatal steroids and mortality (adjusted odds ration [aOR] 0.47 [0.33-0.66]) and severe neurological injury (aOR 0.60 [0.46-0.77]), indomethacin and ductus arteriosus ligations (aOR 0.52 [0.31-0.87]), but not severe neurological injury (aOR 1.12 [0.81-1.54]), but phototherapy was not associated with any of the neonatal outcomes despite reductions in bilirubin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antenatal steroids were associated with reduced mortality and neurological injury, prophylactic indomethacin was not associated with reduction in neurological injury and phototherapy was not associated with any improvement in neonatal outcomes. In a pragmatic setting, outside randomized controlled trials, the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic interventions in extremely preterm neonates vary; ongoing monitoring is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Asaph
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolnitsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shoo K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piedbouf
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of British Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Prakesh S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D002170:Canada; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D062071:Infant, Extremely Premature; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008026:Ligation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009359:Neonatology / Q000379:methods*; D010789:Phototherapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D013256:Steroids; D007213:Indomethacin