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Steroid Therapy and the Treatment of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: an Error in Neonatology, or an Unavoidable Therapeutic Intervention?

Journal of Perinatology volume 24, pages 127–128 (2004)Cite this article

Dear Editor:

I read the review Reflections on Errors in Neonatology III by Robertson1 with great interest. Since the study of steroid use for the treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD),2 in which I participated during my fellowship in Neonatology, was singled out, being the first randomized, controlled trial of its nature, I found this section of the review concerning steroid use for BPD of particular significance. However, Dr. Robertson's nonchalant dismissal of the steroid era, and his remarks on the apparent ease with which current-day neonatologists have managed to avoid using this therapy since it recently became taboo, do not reflect the conflicts and concerns about which we debated during that era. Let us rather step back in time and recall that BPD was frequently a devastating condition, and that there was a need, at the time we carried out this study, of finding a treatment, any treatment, for helping these unfortunate neonates and their families.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine of The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 3235, Jerusalem, 91031, Israel

    Michael Kaplan MB ChB

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  1. Michael Kaplan MB ChB
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Kaplan, M. Steroid Therapy and the Treatment of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: an Error in Neonatology, or an Unavoidable Therapeutic Intervention?. J Perinatol 24, 127–128 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211043

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