Premium
Effects of early postnatal dexamethasone therapy on calcium homeostasis and bone growth in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome
Author(s) -
Lin YJ,
Yeh TF,
Lin HC,
Wu JM,
Lin CH,
Yu CY
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1998.tb01414.x
Subject(s) - medicine , respiratory distress , dexamethasone , homeostasis , calcium , respiratory system , pediatrics , physiology , endocrinology , anesthesia
The effects of dexamethasone therapy on calcium homeostasis and bone growth were evaluated in 49 infants (24 placebo and 25 dexamethasone) who participated in a double‐blind trial of early dexamethasone therapy for the prevention of chronic lung disease. Dexamethasone (0.25 mg kg ‐1 b.i.d. on d 1–7; 0.12 mg kg ‐1 b.i.d. on d 8‐14; 0.05mg kg ‐1 b.i.d. on d 15‐21; 0.02mg kg ‐1 b.i.d. on d 22‐28) or saline placebo was given i.v. Serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), and the corresponding urinary excretion of calcium (FE Ca ) and phosphorus (FE P ) were measured on d 2, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 after starting the study. Radiographic evaluations of bone growth were also evaluated. Infants in the dexamethasone group had significantly higher PTH on d 2 ( p < 0:01), 7 and 14 ( p < 0:05) than infants in the placebo group. The dexamethasone‐treated infants also had significantly higher FE P on d 2,7 and 14 ( p < 0:05) and lower FE Ca on d 7 and 14 ( p < 0:05) than control infants. There was no significant difference between the groups in bone growth during the study. It was concluded that early dexamethasone therapy causes a transient elevation in PTH without apparent change in bone growth. The long‐term effect remains to be evaluated further.