Antenatal dexamethasone use and respiratory distress in late preterm infants: results from first Vietnamese matched cohort study

Abstract Background Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is one of the leading causes early neonatal morbidity and mortality in late preterm infants (LPIs) worldwide. This matched cohort study aimed to assess how antenatal dexamethasone use affect respiratory (RD) proportion newborns between 34 0/7 weeks 36 6/7 gestation. Methods was a prospective on 78 women with singleton pregnancy who were threatened birth had not received prior dexamethasone, admitted at Hue University Medicine Pharmacy Hospital from June 2018 May 2020. The control group without included pregnant diagnosed births similar gestational ages estimated fetal weights as treatment group. 6 mg intramuscular every 12 h for total 4 doses or until delivery. Primary outcome rate RD. Secondary outcomes need support, intensive care unit (NICU) admission, hypoglycemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, death. Statistical analyses performed by using SPSS software, version 26.0. Results RD LPI significantly lower than (10.3% vs. 23.1%, respectively), adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10 – 0.83 p = 0.021. Neonatal hypoglycemia more common (25.6% 12.8%, respectively; aOR, 2.59; CI, 1.06 6.33; 0.037). There no significant between-groups differences incidence NICU admission length hospital stay. Conclusions Administration risk could help infants.