MON-156 Efficacy and Safety of Prenatal Dexamethasone Treatment in Offspring at Risk for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Due to 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of prenatal dexamethasone treatment in offspring at risk for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the clinicaltrials.gov website databases was systematically searched from inception through March 2019. WMD and SMD with 95%CIs were calculated using random or fixed effects models. Results: There was a significant reduction of virilizationin the DEX-treated group (WMD: -2.39, 95%CI: -3.31,-1.47). No significant differences were found in newborn physical outcomes for birth weight (WMD: 0.09, 95%CI: -0.09, 0.27) and birth length (WMD= 0.27, 95%CI: -0.68, 1.21). Concerning cognitive functions, no significant differences in the domains of psychometric intelligence (SMD: 0.05, 95%CI: -0.74, 0.83), verbal memory (SMD: -0.17, 95%CI: -0.58, 0.23), visual memory (SMD: 0.10, 95%CI: -0.14, 0.34), learning (SMD: -0.02, 95%CI: -0.27, 0.22), verbal processing (SMD: -0.38, 95%CI: -0.93, 0.17). Regarding behavioral problems, no significant differences in the domains of internalizing problems (SMD: 0.16, 95%CI: -0.49, 0.81), externalizing problems (SMD: 0.07, 95%CI: -0.30, 0.43), total problems (SMD: 0.14, 95%CI: -0.23, 0.51). With respect to temperament, no significant differences in the domains of emotionality (SMD: 0.13, 95%CI: -0.79, 1.05), activity (SMD: 0.04, 95%CI: -0.32, 0.39), shyness (SMD: 0.25, 95%CI: -0.70, 1.20), sociability (SMD: -0.23, 95%CI: -0.90, 0.44). Conclusions: Prenatal DEX treatment reduced virilization with no significant differences in newborn physical outcomes, cognitive functions, behavioral problems, temperament. The results need to be interpreted cautiously due to the existence of limitations.