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Postnatal dexamethasone: what is the real cost‐benefit ratio?
Author(s) -
Halliday HL
Publication year - 2003
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.1651-2227.2003.tb00619.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dexamethasone , lung function , corticosteroid , adverse effect , lung disease , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , anesthesia , lung , surgery
Postnatal corticosteroids given early after birth reduce the risk of chronic lung disease in preterm infants but are associated with an approximate doubling of the risk of adverse neurosensory outcomes. Corticosteroids given after 7–10 d of age appear not to have these increased risks of neurosensory sequelae and reduce time on the ventilator. Conclusion : Further research is needed to determine the lowest dose of corticosteroid that will improve lung function and minimize risks to the developing brain.