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Table 4 Subgroup analysis by twins pregnancy

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 = 215)

<  1 course (n = 43): (1)

1 course (n = 133): (2)

>  1 course (n = 39): (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)

32 (14.9%)

8 (18.6%)

17 (12.8%)

7 (17.9%)

0.543

1.543 (0.588–4.051)

1.552 (0.560–4.298)

 APGAR score < 7 (5 min)

7 (3.3%)

1 (2.3%)

4 (3.0%)

2 (5.1%)

0.749

0.763 (0.078–7.449)

1.553 (0.250–9.638)

 Post-natal adaptation

17 (7.9%)

4 (9.3%)

9 (6.8%)

4 (10.3%)

0.723

1.331 (0.382–4.639)

1480 (0.421–5.200)

 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

3 (1.4%)

1 (2.3%)

1 (0.8%)

1 (2.6%)

0.589

3.230 (0.181–57.63)

4.590 (0.250–84.38)

 Pneumonia

7 (3.3%)

3 (7.0%)

3 (2.3%)

1 (2.6%)

0.305

2.821 (0.521–15.27)

1.343 (0.130–13.87)

 Pneumothorax

9 (4.2%)

2 (4.7%)

6 (4.5%)

1 (2.6%)

0.855

0.858 (0.160–4.596)

0.452 (0.046–4.401)

 Intraventricular haemorrhage

17 (7.9%)

6 (14.0%)

9 (6.8%)

2 (5.1%)

0.245

3.234 (0.976–10.72)

3.049 (0.865–10.75)

 Necrotising enterocolitis

30 (14.0%)

10 (23.3%)

14 (10.5%)

6 (15.4%)

0.035c

2.484 (1.005–7.904)

0.714 (0.141–3.613)

 Neonatal death

10 (4.7%)

3 (7.0%)

4 (3.0%)

3 (7.7%)

0.342

2.214 (0.450–10.90)

3.573 (0.704–18.13)

 Sepsis

7 (3.3%)

3 (7.0%)

3 (2.3%)

1 (2.6%)

0.305

2.663 (1.051–6.746)

1.474 (0.507–4.279)

 Hypothermia

11 (5.1%)

5 (11.6%)

5 (3.8%)

1 (2.6%)

0.091

2.911 (0.782–10.83)

0.659 (0.073–5.947)

 Phototherapy

137 (63.7%)

28 (65.1%)

82 (61.7%)

27 (69.2%)

0.672

1.163 (0.562–2.407)

1.364 (0.629–2.959)

 Transient tachypnoea of the newborn

80 (37.2%)

15 (34.9%)

47 (35.3%)

18 (46.2%)

0.442

0.967 (0.465–2.015)

1.567 (0.749–3.278)

 Ventilator support

44 (20.5%)

14 (32.6%)

21 (15.8%)

9 (23.1%)

0.015c

2.878 (1.262–6.561)

1.746 (0.700–4.354)

 Continuous positive airway pressure

84 (39.1%)

21 (48.8%)

48 (36.1%)

15 (38.5%)

0.329

1.801 (0.886–3.663)

1.156 (0.545–2.452)

 Positive pressure ventilation

34 (15.8%)

7 (16.3%)

21 (15.8%)

6 (15.4%)

0.994

0.999 (0.386–2.587)

1.031 (0.377–2.802)

 Intermediate care unit admission

151 (70.2%)

27 (62.8%)

99 (74.4%)

25 (64.1%)

0.227

0.570 (0.267–1.218)

0.594 (0.268–1.315)

 Neonatal intensive care unit admission

67 (31.2%)

17 (39.5%)

39 (29.3%)

11 (28.2%)

0.412

1.699 (0.813–3.547)

0.956 (0.424–2.155)

 Respiratory distress syndrome

23 (10.7%)

8 (18.6%)

11 (8.3%)

4 (10.3%)

0.162

2.688 (0.971–7.440)

1.410 (0.409–4.859)

 Persistent tachypnoea of the newborn

 Length of hospital stay (days)

13 (1–117)

13 (1–106)

13 (1–117)

14 (1–101)

0.865

 Mean neonatal weight (grams)

1970.5 ± 443.4

1911.63 ± 387.3

2017.6 ± 461.2

1874.9 ± 426.2

0.131

Maternal

 Gestational age at delivery (weeks of gestation)

34.1 ± 2.1

33.8 ± 2.2

34.4 ± 2.1

33.5 ± 2.1

0.057

Underlying disease

 Diabetes mellitus (DM)

1 (0.5%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.8%)

0 (0.0%)

1.000

 Hypertension

5 (2.3%)

0 (0.0%)

5 (3.8%)

0 (0.0%)

0.211

 Others

20 (9.3%)

5 (11.6%)

12 (9.0%)

3 (7.7%)

0.843

1.327 (0.439–4.006)

0.840 (0.225–3.142)

Length of hospital stay

7 (2–124)

4 (3–22)

7 (2–57)

24 (3–124)

<  0.001abc

Puerperal infection

2 (0.9%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.8%)

1 (2.6%)

0.454

3.474 (0.212–56.85)

Referral to other centres

15 (7.0%)

4 (9.3%)

7 (5.3%)

4 (10.3%)

0.448

1.846 (0.513–6.639)

2.057 (0.570–7.431)

  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