Neonatal Morbidities among Moderately Preterm Infants with and without Exposure to Antenatal Corticosteroids

Use of antenatal corticosteroids among infants with gestational age at 24 to 31 weeks in 57 neonatal intensive care units of China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) can significantly improve the outcomes of preterm infants. This study aimed to describe the ACS use rates among preterm infants admitted to Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and to explore perinatal factors associated with ACS use, using the largest contemporary cohort of very preterm infants in China.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study enrolled all infants born at 24 +0 to 31 +6 weeks and admitted to 57 NICUs of the Chinese Neonatal Network from January 1st, 2019 to December 30th, 2019. The ACS administration was defined as at least one dose of dexamethasone and betamethasone given before delivery. Multiple logistic regressions were applied to determine the association between perinatal factors and ACS usage.

RESULTS

A total of 7828 infants were enrolled, among which 6103 (78.0%) infants received ACS. ACS use rates increased with increasing gestational age (GA), from 177/259 (68.3%) at 24 to 25 weeks' gestation to 3120/3960 (78.8%) at 30 to 31 weeks' gestation. Among infants exposed to ACS, 2999 of 6103 (49.1%) infants received a single complete course, and 33.4% (2039/6103) infants received a partial course. ACS use rates varied from 30.2% to 100% among different hospitals. Multivariate regression showed that increasing GA, born in hospital (inborn), increasing maternal age, maternal hypertension and premature rupture of membranes were associated with higher likelihood to receive ACS.

CONCLUSIONS

The use rate of ACS remained low for infants at 24 to 31 weeks' gestation admitted to Chinese NICUs, with fewer infants receiving a complete course. The use rates varied significantly among different hospitals. Efforts are urgently needed to propose improvement measures and thus improve the usage of ACS.

Perinatal management: Lessons learned from the neonatal research network

Recent contributions of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN) regarding obstetrical perinatal interventions and neonatal delivery room practices include the following: the impact of multiple antepartum factors including maternal diabetes, hypertension, obesity and mode of delivery on outcomes of extremely preterm newborns, effects of delayed delivery interval for extremely preterm multiples, effects of antenatal steroids on preterm newborn outcomes and the impact of antenatal magnesium sulfate therapy on neurodevelopmental outcomes for extremely preterm infants. NRN studies also contribute important evidence for neonatal delivery room resuscitation guidelines including umbilical cord management and maintenance of euthermia immediately after birth. The updated NRN outcome calculator helps better counsel families regarding possible outcomes for the most immature newborns if resuscitation is attempted at birth. Thus, the NRN provides substantial information regarding effects of perinatal management on newborn infants.

Contributions of the NICHD neonatal research network's generic database to documenting and advancing the outcomes of extremely preterm infants

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN) maintains a database of extremely preterm infants known as the Generic Database (GDB). Begun in 1987, this database now includes more than 91,000 infants, most of whom are extremely preterm (<29 weeks gestation). The GDB has been the backbone of the NRN, providing high quality, prospectively collected data to study the changing epidemiology of extreme prematurity and its outcomes over time. In addition, GDB data have been used to generate hypotheses for prospective studies and to develop new clinical trials by providing information about the numbers and characteristics of available subjects and the expected event rates for conditions and complications to be studied. Since its inception, the GDB has been the basis of more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals, many of which have had a significant impact on the field of neonatology.

Association of antenatal steroids with neonatal mortality and morbidity in preterm infants born to mothers with diabetes mellitus and hypertension

BACKGROUND

Randomized trials of antenatal steroids (ANS) included women at 24-33 weeks gestational age (GA); however, few women had preeclampsia and women with diabetes mellitus (DM) were excluded.

METHODS

Cohort study including preterm births at 230/7-286/7 weeks GA before (Epoch-1) and after (Epoch-2) expansion of ANS administration to women with DM and hypertensive disorders (HTN). We compared Group-A (neither DM nor HTN) and Group-B (DM and/or HTN).

RESULTS

Among 747 neonates the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for surfactant administration, in-hospital mortality, severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and death or severe IVH were lower in ANS-exposed neonates than unexposed neonates. In Group-B, ANS administration was independently associated with less severe IVH and less death or severe IVH, but not less surfactant use or mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased ANS administration in women with DM and/or HTN was independently associated with less severe IVH and less death or severe IVH but without decrease in surfactant administration.