Effect of corticosteroids on lung function and the clinical course of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants with a birth weight below 1,500 g

Abstract

11 very low birth weight infants (700-1480 g) with bronchopulmonary dysplasia were treated with dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg/day for 3 days, 0.3 mg/kg/day for 3 days), followed by hydrocortisone (tapering from 2 mg/kg/day-0.5 mg/kg/day, total 4 days). Pulmonary function tests showed a significant improvement of lung compliance from initially 0.36 +/- 0.05 cm/ml H2O/kg to 0.54 +/- 0.16 cm/ml H2O/kg after 24 hours. Compliance remained within levels above baseline during the following 4 days. Steroid therapy was also associated with a significant reduction of FiO2 (0.45 to 0.34) and ventilator rates (48.9 to 29.3/min). Extubation was possible in all infants 11.9 (+/- 10) days after initial treatment.