ABSTRACT
The objective of this paper is to determine the effects of a 12-day dexamethasone
course of the pulmonary function of preterm infants. The design consisted of a consecutive
sample of eligible patients, before-after trial. The Regional referral center neonatal
ICU was the setting. The patients were 13 preterm infants, 545-1315 g, requiring mechanical
ventilation. The following was used: Intravenous dexamethasone for a 12-day tapering
course beginning at 0.5 mglkg every 12 hr. Main outcome measures were as follows:
Measurements of functional residual capacity (FRC), compliance, resistance, arterial
blood gases and alveolar-arterial differences, level of ventilatory assistance, weight,
length. All measures of pulmonary function demonstrated significant improvement by
Day 12 of treatment. Most improvement occurred in the first 6 days of treatment, in
association with increased lung volume.
Keywords
Neonatal respiratory distress - steroid treatment - lung volume - bronchopulmonary
dysplasia
