A Decreased Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis After Prenatal Glucocorticoid Therapy

¹ From the Division of Neonatology, University of Miami, Miami; Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of Mississippi, Jackson; Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis; Division of Neonatology, Northwestern University, Chicago; Division of Neonatology, University of Alberta, Winnepeg, Alberta, Canada; and Division of Newborn Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison

In a large multicentered, collaborative randomized and blinded trial utilizing antenatal corticosteroids, the goals included determining the effectiveness of these agents in accelerating lung maturation, as well as monitoring any short-term or long-term adverse effects of this treatment on the parturient, fetus, and/or infant. More than 100 specific items, pertaining to diagnoses, complications, and outcomes were recorded for the 696 mothers enrolled in the study and their 745 infants. A significantly decreased incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (P = .002) was found in the infants treated with steroids. The possibility of accelerated intestinal maturation induced by antenatal maternal steroid therapy exists. This treatment regimen is particularly attractive as adverse aspects of steroid therapy at the dosage utilized have not been demonstrated.

Key Words: enzyme induction • glucocorticoids • necrotizing enterocolitis • respiratory distress syndrome • steroids

Submitted on November 17, 1983
Accepted on January 27, 1984

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