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The Joint Effects of Antenatal Steroids and Gestational Age on Improved Outcomes in Neonates
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The Joint Effects of Antenatal Steroids and Gestational Age on Improved Outcomes in Neonates

Neal D Goldstein, Kaitlin M Kenaley, Robert Locke and David A Paul
Maternal and child health journal, v 22(3), pp 384-390
Mar 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-017-2403-z
PMID: 29127622
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia - epidemiology Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia - prevention & control Cerebral Hemorrhage - epidemiology Cerebral Hemorrhage - prevention & control Cerebral Intraventricular Hemorrhage - epidemiology Cerebral Intraventricular Hemorrhage - prevention & control Female Gestational Age Humans Incidence Infant Infant, Newborn Infant, Newborn, Diseases - prevention & control Intensive Care Units, Neonatal Male Obstetric Labor, Premature - drug therapy Obstetric Labor, Premature - prevention & control Perinatal Death Pregnancy Pregnancy Complications Premature Birth Protective Agents - administration & dosage Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn - epidemiology Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn - prevention & control Risk Factors Steroids - administration & dosage
Antenatal corticosteroids are standard of care for women at risk of a preterm birth and demonstrated to be protective against poor outcomes in neonates including respiratory disorders, mortality and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Its benefits may vary by gestational age, and accurate estimation is needed in a single-center population to account for practice variation. A retrospective cohort of infants admitted to the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, 1997-2015. Using Poisson regression, we separately modeled the incidence rate ratio of death, grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) testing the moderating effects of gestation on antenatal steroids, controlling for potential confounding. Among 5314 infants admitted, death occurred in 298 (6%), severe IVH in 244 (5%), and BPD in 527 (10%). Antenatal steroids were protective of death and BPD in the adjusted analysis, and there was multiplicative interaction where each week increase in gestational age combined with steroid therapy resulted in 13% reduced incidence for each outcome. Antenatal steroids are protective against severe IVH and moderate to severe BPD, and when combined with gestational age, steroids are associated with greater protective benefits in older neonates. There is likely an ideal window to maximize the benefits of antenatal steroids, and future etiologic research should consider the joint effects with gestational age.

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8 citations in Web of Science
10 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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