Respiratory Compliance in Preterm Infants after a Single Rescue Course of Antenatal Steroids: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Preterm infants randomized to a single rescue course of antenatal steroids had significantly increased respiratory compliance compared to placebo (1.21 vs 1.01 mL/cm H2O/kg, about 20% increase, p=0.04

Effect: improvement; 1.21 versus 1.01 mL/cm H2O/kg; CI: adjusted 95% CI 0.01, 0.49

There was no significant difference in functional residual capacity between rescue antenatal steroid and placebo groups (24.8 vs 22.0 mL/kg, p=0.19), suggesting structural lung changes from initial AS

Effect: null; 24.8 versus 22.0 mL/kg; CI: adjusted 95% CI for difference: -1.40 to 6.62

Significantly fewer infants in the rescue antenatal steroid group required >= 30% supplemental oxygen (13% vs 29%, p<0.05) or >= 40% oxygen (9% vs 23%, p<0.05) compared to placebo, demonstrating clini

Effect: improvement; 13% versus 29% requiring >= 30% oxygen

In the pre-planned subgroup of infants born at <= 34 weeks, rescue antenatal steroids produced a more pronounced Crs benefit (~30% increase, 1.17 vs 0.90 mL/cm H2O/kg, p=0.0395) with significantly les

Effect: improvement; 1.17 versus 0.90 mL/cm H2O/kg; CI: adjusted 95% CI for difference: 0.02 to 0.60

There were no significant differences in birth weight, head circumference, birth length, incidence of small-for-gestational-age, or corresponding Z-scores at birth or discharge between the rescue ante

Effect: null; no significant differences in birth weight, head circumference, or length