Two new articles describing the longer term follow up (to school age) of antenatal magnesium, when used for brain protection.

1. Doyle LW, Anderson PJ, Haslam R, Lee KJ, Crowther C, Australasian Collaborative Trial of Magnesium Sulphate Study G. School-age outcomes of very preterm infants after antenatal treatment with magnesium sulfate vs placebo. JAMA. 2014;312(11):1105-13.

The ACTOMag trial presents data from 669 of 867 known survivors. There are slightly fewer deaths with Magnesium (14% compared to 17.6%) which could be due to chance (p=0.08), and no evidence of any other benefit, or indeed of harm.

2. Chollat C, Enser M, Houivet E, Provost D, Benichou J, Marpeau L, et al. School-age outcomes following a randomized controlled trial of magnesium sulfate for neuroprotection of preterm infants. The Journal of pediatrics. 2014;165(2):398-400 e3.

431 of 616 survivors from the PREMAG trial were seen, no substantial differences in outcomes were seen. Most of the minor differences were in the direction of benefit of Magnesium. Mortality was again a little lower with Mg than control.

Think we need a new systematic review; I nominate Lex Doyle. All those in favour…