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Table 2 Neonatal and maternal outcomes

From: A case-control study on the effects of incomplete, one, and more than one dexamethasone course on acute respiratory problems in preterm neonates born between 280 and 366 weeks of gestation

Outcomes

Total (N = 1800)

<  1 course (n = 716): (1)

1 course (n = 916): (2)

>  1 course (n = 168): (3)

P value

Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for <  1 course

Adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for >  1 course

Neonatal

 APGAR score < 7 (1 min)

301 (16.7%)

104 (14.5%)

157 (17.1%)

40 (23.8%)

0.013ab

0.832 (0.634–1.093)

1.441 (0.967–2.148)

 APGAR score < 7 (5 min)

85 (4.7%)

34 (4.7%)

39 (4.3%)

12 (7.1%)

0.269

1.144 (0.713–1.836)

1.756 (0.895–3.444)

 Post-natal adaptation

83 (4.6%)

27 (3.8%)

48 (5.2%)

8 (4.8%)

0.371

0.730 (0.450–1.185)

0.923 (0.427–1.996)

 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

48 (2.7%)

19 (2.7%)

23 (2.5%)

6 (3.6%)

0.735

1.024 (0.547–1.917)

1.397 (0.556–3.513)

 Pneumonia

61 (3.4%)

18 (2.5%)

32 (3.5%)

11 (6.5%)

0.033b

0.724 (0.402–1.304)

2.056 (1.008–4.192)

 Pneumothorax

39 (2.2%)

11 (1.5%)

25 (2.7%)

3 (1.8%)

0.244

0.555 (0.270–1.140)

0.695 (0.207–2.340)

 Intraventricular haemorrhage

78 (4.3%)

29 (4.1%)

35 (3.8%)

14 (8.3%)

0.027a

1.047 (0.629–1.741)

2.215 (1.159–4.233)

 Necrotising enterocolitis

62 (3.4%)

18 (2.5%)

37 (4.0%)

7 (4.2%)

0.212

0.652 (0.366–1.162)

0.988 (0.429–2.276)

 Neonatal death

44 (2.4%)

17 (2.4%)

20 (2.2%)

7 (4.2%)

0.306

1.043 (0.538–2.019)

2.024 (0.832–4.923)

 Sepsis

175 (9.7%)

58 (8.1%)

90 (9.8%)

27 (16.1%)

0.007ab

0.812 (0.574–1.150)

1.737 (1.086–2.777)

 Hypothermia

52 (2.9%)

22 (3.1%)

23 (2.5%)

7 (4.2%)

0.465

1.284 (0.708–2.330)

1.648 (0.691–3.932)

 Phototherapy

1054 (58.6%)

398 (55.6%)

532 (58.1%)

124 (73.8%)

<  0.001ab

0.925 (0.758–1.130)

1.997 (1.378–2.895)

 Transient tachypnoea of the newborn

424 (23.6%)

156 (21.8%)

210 (22.9%)

58 (34.5%)

0.002ab

0.930 (0.734–1.178)

1.801 (1.261–2.571)

 Ventilator support

238 (13.2%)

103 (14.4%)

103 (11.2%)

32 (19.0%)

0.011a

1.306 (0.973–1.754)

1.843 (1.187–2.861)

 Continuous positive airway pressure

404 (22.4%)

138 (19.3%)

214 (23.4%)

52 (31.0%)

0.003ab

0.786 (0.617–1.002)

1.443 (1.003–2.075)

 Positive pressure ventilation

235 (13.1%)

95 (13.3%)

107 (11.7%)

33 (19.6%)

0.019a

1.185 (0.880–1.596)

1.831 (1.185–2.829)

 Intermediate care unit admission

1258 (69.9%)

518 (72.3%)

648 (70.7%)

92 (54.8%)

<  0.001ab

1.076 (0.864–1.339)

0.516 (0.368–0.725)

 Neonatal intensive care unit admission

411 (22.8%)

150 (20.9%)

203 (22.2%)

58 (34.5%)

0.001ab

0.947 (0.745–1.204)

1.822 (1.275–2.604)

 Respiratory distress syndrome

95 (5.3%)

42 (5.9%)

40 (4.4%)

13 (7.7%)

0.132

1.347 (0.861–2.106)

1.751 (0.910–3.366)

 Persistent tachypnoea of the newborn

1 (0.1%)

1 (0.1%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0.469

 Length of hospital stay (days)

7 (1–179)

6 (1–179)

7 (1–179)

14 (1–179)

<  0.001abc

 Mean neonatal weight (grams)

2208.5 ± 559.9

2305.5 ± 571.2

2181.7 ± 544.6

1942.4 ± 489.5

< 0.001abc

Maternal

 Gestational age at delivery (weeks of gestation)

34.4 ± 2.1

34.7 ± 2.0

34.4 ± 2.1

33.4 ± 2.0

< 0.001abc

Underlying disease

 Diabetes mellitus (DM)

29 (1.6%)

11 (1.5%)

15 (1.6%)

3 (1.8%)

0.970

0.937 (0.428–2.053)

1.092 (0.313–3.814)

 Hypertension

107 (5.9%)

37 (5.2%)

50 (5.5%)

20 (11.9%)

0.003ab

0.944 (0.610–1.461)

2.341 (1.354–4.045)

 Others

173 (9.6%)

60 (8.4%)

90 (9.8%)

23 (13.7%)

0.105

0.839 (0.596–1.182)

1.456 (0.891–2.378)

Length of hospital stay

6 (2–143)

4.5 (2–31)

7 (2–57)

14.5 (2–143)

<  0.001abc

Puerperal infection

13 (0.7%)

5 (0.7%)

6 (0.7%)

2 (1.2%)

0.749

1.067 (0.324–3.509)

1.827 (0.366–9.131)

Referral to other centres

36 (2.0%)

9 (1.3%)

20 (2.2%)

7 (4.2%)

0.045b

0.570 (0.258–1.260)

1.948 (0.810–4.682)

  1. Chi-square test with multiple comparison by Bonferroni correction was used to compare the categorical outcome between groups
  2. Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s test correction for multiple comparison was used to compare the non-normally distributed continuous data between groups
  3. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparison was used to compare the normally distributed continuous data between groups
  4. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to examine the association between steroid groups and adverse outcomes after adjusting for covariate (maternal age, BMI, morbidities)
  5. aStatistically significant between 2 and 3
  6. bStatistically significant between 1 and 3
  7. cStatistically significant between 1 and 2