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Hydrocortisone for hypotension and vasopressor dependence in preterm neonates: A meta-analysis

Journal of Perinatology volume 30, pages 373–378 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

A full consensus has not been reached about the hemodynamic efficacy of hydrocortisone administration in hypotensive and vasopressor-dependent preterm neonates.

Objective:

To examine the efficacy of hydrocortisone for treatment of hypotension and reduction of vasopressor requirements in preterm infants.

Method:

Standard meta-analytic techniques, including random and fixed effects models, were used to calculate combined effect size correlations and significance levels.

Result:

Random effects meta-analysis showed that hydrocortisone increases blood pressure (seven studies; N=144; r=0.71, 95%CI=0.18 to 0.92) and reduces vasopressor requirement (five studies; N=93; r=0.74, 95%CI=0.0084 to 0.96). The number of new or unretrieved studies averaging null results required to increase the overall p to 0.05 is k=78 for blood pressure increase and k=47 for vasopressor requirement reduction.

Conclusion:

The effects of hydrocortisone on increasing blood pressure and decreasing vasopressor requirements in preterm infants are robust with a large tolerance for future null results. Actual clinical benefits of increasing blood pressure and decreasing vasopressor requirements, however, remain unknown. Long-term sequelae of hydrocortisone administration have yet to be fully elucidated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Fetal and Neonatal Medicine and the USC Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    S Higgins, P Friedlich & I Seri

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  1. S Higgins
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  2. P Friedlich
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  3. I Seri
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Correspondence to I Seri.

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Higgins, S., Friedlich, P. & Seri, I. Hydrocortisone for hypotension and vasopressor dependence in preterm neonates: A meta-analysis. J Perinatol 30, 373–378 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2009.126

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