Tag Archives: steroids

“Death or NDI” does it matter… to anybody?

Posted on 30 May 2023 by Keith Barrington

Despite the evidence that “NDI” is of little interest to parents, we continue to focus on it in outcome studies, and even equate it with death. Unfortunately, this new study, using the substantial resources of the NICHD NRN and their … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hydrocortisone, with backup dexamethasone, to prevent Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Posted on 28 March 2022 by Keith Barrington

A trial that has been awaited for a while has just been published (Watterberg KL, et al. Hydrocortisone to Improve Survival without Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. N Engl J Med. 2022;386(12):1121-31). It was a multi-centre RCT of hydrocortisone in 800 very preterm … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

STOP-BPD follow up study

Posted on 13 January 2022 by Keith Barrington

Does routine hydrocortisone, started at 7 to 14 days of age among infants <30 weeks GA and/or <1250g birth weight who were ventilator dependent and at increased risk for BPD, affect their long term developmental progress? (Halbmeijer NM, et al. … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Dexamethasone ENT doses

Posted on 31 August 2020 by Keith Barrington

Although we have a great group of ENT surgeons at my hospital, we do have one bone of contention; at least, there is just one bone left since they have agreed that you cannot diagnose reflux by performing a laryngoscopy! … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Antenatal steroids : good, bad, or both?

Posted on 27 May 2020 by Keith Barrington

Antenatal steroids prior to very preterm birth save lives. Antenatal steroids prior to planned late preterm delivery reduce respiratory distress and increase hypoglycaemia. Might there be other long-term effects on brain structure? There are now some animal models which suggest … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

What to do about early postnatal steroids?

Posted on 3 March 2020 by Keith Barrington

Steroid metabolism in the very immature infant is… immature. Adrenal function is still developing in the fetus between 20 and 26 weeks, and a source of precursors from the placenta is important, but obviously disappears at delivery. Very preterm babies … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Putting steroids in the lungs? Still unclear if it is safe or effective.

Posted on 7 May 2019 by Keith Barrington

Systematic reviews, and meta-analyses should help us make a clinical decision, by accumulating all the evidence, determining its quality, and synthesizing impacts, we can then decide which therapeutic option to pursue. This latest review answers the following question “should I … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Death or oxygen, which is worse?

Posted on 27 February 2019 by Keith Barrington

We have a big problem in neonatal research. We have constructed composite outcomes that have become the “standard of design”, but are not of much use for anyone. Because we are, rightly, concerned that death and other diagnoses may be … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

PAS 2018 No2: let’s STOP-BPD

Posted on 10 May 2018 by Keith Barrington

The STOP-BPD trial was a multicenter trial from Holland, (registered as NTR2768) over 180 babies were randomized to each arm of this trial, they were <30 weeks or less than 1250 g at birth, and were still ventilated at 2 … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Inhaled Steroids to Prevent BPD? Think again… again!

Posted on 16 January 2018 by Keith Barrington

The NEUROSIS trial that I discussed in my previous post has, among other published trials, most in common with the trial by Nakamura published in 2016. Nakamura T, et al. Early inhaled steroid use in extremely low birthweight infants: a … Continue reading →

Posted in Neonatal Research | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment