Acta Paediatr. 2025 Dec 26. doi: 10.1111/apa.70417. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To assess the effect of antenatal dexamethasone on reducing the need for respiratory support in late preterm infants.
METHODS: The study was an open-label randomised controlled trial. Participants included 294 pregnant women at risk of late preterm delivery, admitted to Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, Vietnam. Women in the intervention group received antenatal dexamethasone, compared with standard care for the control group. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 18 with an intention-to-treat approach. Comparisons were performed using the chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test for categorical data and the unpaired t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous data.
RESULTS: Infants in the control group required respiratory support after birth more frequently than those in the dexamethasone group (24.5% vs. 15%, p = 0.04). The neonatal unit admission rate was significantly higher in the control group (p = 0.01), with respiratory problems accounting for the most common reason for admission. Regarding morbidities, jaundice requiring phototherapy was significantly higher in the control group.
CONCLUSION: Antenatal dexamethasone significantly reduced the need for respiratory support after birth and neonatal unit admission. Dexamethasone administration was not associated with increased maternal postnatal infection or neonatal hypoglycaemia.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT05841121.
PMID:41452963 | DOI:10.1111/apa.70417
