Abstract
Background and aims: Antenatal steroids (AS) have been associated with increased postnatal blood pressure (BP) in preterm infants. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the timing of AS and early postnatal BP in extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs).
Methods: 68 infants between 24 and 26 wks gestation were admitted to a single tertiary centre. 14 of those were received a complete course of AS (AS group). 27 infants who received no AS served as controls. The mean arterial BP at 6 h of age was used as an early postnatal BP. To assess the timing of AS, the time interval between AS administration and delivery was determined.
Results: The average mean BPs at 6 h of age were significantly correlated with the time intervals between AS administration and delivery in the AS group(r=0.64, p=0.01). There was no significant difference in the mean BP at 6 h of age between the AS group and controls. Whereas, 5 infants in the AS group who received AS ≥96 h before birth showed significantly higher mean BPs at 6 h of age than that in 9 infants who received AS < 96 h of age(39.1±6.8 vs 28.8±7.9mmHg, p=0.03), or in infants without AS(39.1±6.8 vs 33.4±4.4mmHg, p=0.02).
Conclusions: The early postnatal BP is positively correlated with the time interval between AS administration and delivery in ELGANs born after complete course of AS. The effect of AS on early postnatal BP is evident when AS are administered ≥96 h before delivery.
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Akita, D., Nakamura, Y., Sakai, H. et al. 642 The Effect of Timing of Antenatal Steroids on Early Postnatal Blood Pressure in Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 328 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00642
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00642