The respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the preterm neonates is the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal units. Corticosteroids were shown to have multiple beneficial effects in maturing fetal surfactant and in decreasing the incidence and severity of RDS, intraventricular hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Material and methods: The authors studied 65 premies treated antenatally with corticosteroids versus 68 preterm neonates that didn't benefit from this therapy. All cases presented life threatening distress by various causes. There were evaluated the incidence of hyaline membrane disease, incidence related with gender, gestational age, the severity of respiratory distress (Silverman score), influence of the therapy on Apgar score, onset of symptomes and haematologic status, necessity of assisted ventilation and neonatal mortality.
Results: We found a significant decrease in the incidence of RDS (40%), severity of vital life-threatening distress and neonatal mortality (60%). There were no significant side effects for the babies treated versus untreated.
Conclusions: Antenatal steroids given to the mother in imminence of premature birth are for real benefit in reducing neonatal mortality, increasing the number of survivors among small prematures and improving their quality of life. Even life threatening distress from other causes seem to be less severe, and even an incomplete course therapy conduces to decrease of distress severity.