| Title | Long-term effects of antenatal betamethasone on lung function: 30 year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. | | Author(s) | Dalziel SR, Rea HH, Walker NK, Parag V, Mantell C, Rodgers A, Harding JE | | Institution | The University of Auckland, New Zealand. | | Source | Thorax 2006 Apr 6. | | Abstract | Background: Antenatal betamethasone is routinely used for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants. However little is known of the long-term effects of exposure to antenatal betamethasone on lung function in adulthood.
Methods: We followed 534 thirty year olds whose mothers participated in the first and largest randomised controlled trial of antenatal betamethasone. Lung function was assessed with portable spirometry. Prevalence of asthma symptoms was assessed using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire.
Results: 50 (20%) betamethasone exposed and 53 (19%) placebo exposed participants met the criteria for current asthma (relative risk=0.98 (95% CI=0.74 to 1.30), p=0.89). 181 betamethasone exposed and 202 placebo exposed participants had acceptable spirometry. There were no differences in lung function between betamethasone and placebo exposed groups (mean percent predicted (SD) FVC betamethasone=105.9 (12.0), placebo=106.6 (12.6), difference=-0.7 (95% CI=-3.2 to 1.8), p=0.59; mean (SD) FEV1 betamethasone=98.9 (13.4), placebo=98.5 (13.6), difference=0.3 (95% CI=-2.4 to 3.1, p=0.80)).
Conclusions: Antenatal exposure to a single course of betamethasone does not alter lung function or prevalence of wheeze and asthma at age 30. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 16601084 |
|
