Abstract
146 patients were enrolled in a double blind study to assess the effectiveness and side effects of antenatal administration of Betamethasone in the prevention of R.D.S. 12 mg of Betamethasone (B) or Placebo (P) were given at random on admission of each patient to the study. The same dose was repeated 24 h. later and then weekly up to 34 weeks of gestation. Isoxsuprine was administrated to all patients to stop labor. No antibiotics were used prophylactically. Gestational age at delivery ranged from 25 to 34 weeks and birth weight between 730 gms. and 2650 gms. 60 patients met all the criteria of our protocol.
All infants between 25 and 27 weeks developed RDS (3B+ 6P). With the exclusion of this age group P value for difference in incidence of RDS =.027. Steroid levels and metabolic parameters were monitored at regular intervals. This data suggests that B is effective not only in reducing the incidence of RDS but also in decreasing the severity of its expression.
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Papageorgiou, A., Desgranges, MF., Masson, M. et al. 1003 A CONTOLLED DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY OF ANTENATAL BETAMETHASONE. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 531 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01009
