Retraction and republication - effect of antenatal magnesium sulphate on MRI biomarkers of white matter development at term equivalent age: The MagNUM Study.

Abstract

On August 25, 2020, eBioMedicine published online findings from a nested cohort study within the randomised Magnesium sulphate at 30 to <34 weeks’ Gestational age Neuroprotection Trial (MAGENTA). On November 17, 2021, the authors drew our attention to an error that was discovered when the dataset for the parent randomised trial was being finalised. The original MagNUM analysis was conducted blind to treatment group allocation, and an incorrect code was used at the end of that analysis to identify the magnesium sulphate and placebo study groups. Therefore, the group allocations to the magnesium sulphate and placebo study groups in the paper were inadvertently reversed, making the findings, as reported, unreliable. eBioMedicine editors discussed the corrections that were needed in the paper and decided, in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics’ guidelines, that because of the extent of the changes necessary, the previous version of the Article should be retracted. As these data are still worthy of publication, a corrected version will be republished after reanalysis and rereview. Today we retract the previous version and republish online the corrected version of the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103923 in which the results are unchanged apart from the treatment group assignment. The figures and tables have been corrected accordingly, and the overall message has been modified to convey that antenatal magnesium sulphate prior to preterm birth after 30 weeks’ gestation does not promote white matter development in pathways affecting motor and cognitive function. The previous version of the Article has been added to the appendix in the new version and is marked retracted. The Editors of eBioMedicine. None. RETRACTED: Effect of antenatal magnesium sulphate on MRI biomarkers of white matter development at term equivalent age: The magnum studyThis article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). Full-Text PDF Open AccessEffect of antenatal magnesium sulphate on MRI biomarkers of white matter development at term equivalent age: The MagNUM StudyIn babies born preterm after 30 weeks’ gestation, antenatal magnesium sulphate exposure did not promote development of white matter microstructure in pathways affecting motor or cognitive function. This suggests that if the neuroprotective effect of magnesium sulphate treatment prior to preterm birth is confirmed at this gestation, the mechanisms are not related to accelerated white matter maturation inferred from fractional anisotropy. Full-Text PDF Open Access