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Table 5 Subgroup analysis by very preterm

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 = 236)

<  1 course (n = 77): (1)

1 course (n = 123): (2)

> 1 course (n = 36): (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)

105 (44.5%)

38 (49.4%)

50 (40.7%)

17 (47.2%)

0.438

1.334 (0.737–2.413)

1.192 (0.546–2.600)

 APGAR score < 7 (5 min)

39 (16.5%)

14 (18.2%)

17 (13.8%)

8 (22.2%)

0.458

1.381 (0.628–3.039)

1.776 (0.674–4.682)

 Post-natal adaptation

10 (4.2%)

2 (2.6%)

5 (4.1%)

3 (8.3%)

0.411

0.800 (0.139–4.590)

3.716 (0.757–18.25)

 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

40 (16.9%)

18 (23.4%)

17 (13.8%)

5 (13.9%)

0.202

1.717 (0.803–3.671)

0.966 (0.322–2.901)

 Pneumonia

27 (11.4%)

7 (9.1%)

14 (11.4%)

6 (16.7%)

0.547

0.765 (0.288–2.032)

1.220 (0.403–3.697)

 Pneumothorax

13 (5.5%)

4 (5.2%)

7 (5.7%)

2 (5.6%)

1.000

0.817 (0.225–2.969)

1.091 (0.205–5.794)

 Intraventricular haemorrhage

53 (22.5%)

17 (22.1%)

26 (21.1%)

10 (27.8%)

0.718

1.066 (0.521–2.184)

1.394 (0.576–3.373)

 Necrotising enterocolitis

39 (16.5%)

13 (16.9%)

22 (17.9%)

4 (11.1%)

0.660

1.079 (0.490–2.378)

0.572 (0.175–1.867)

 Neonatal death

19 (8.1%)

5 (6.5%)

9 (7.3%)

5 (13.9%)

0.393

0.778 (0.244–2.480)

2.208 (0.648–7.526)

 Sepsis

78 (33.1%)

30 (39.0%)

38 (30.9%)

10 (27.8%)

0.370

1.528 (0.820–2.844)

0.706 (0.295–1.693)

 Hypothermia

9 (3.8%)

3 (3.9%)

5 (4.1%)

1 (2.8%)

1.000

0.908 (0.203–4.057)

0.824 (0.089–7.641)

 Phototherapy

200 (84.7%)

63 (81.8%)

106 (86.2%)

31 (86.1%)

0.684

0.842 (0.374–1.895)

0.896 (0.289–2.777)

 Transient tachypnoea of the newborn

117 (49.6%)

40 (51.9%)

59 (48.0%)

18 (50.0%)

0.862

1.141 (0.633–2.058)

1.047 (0.484–2.265)

 Ventilator support

114 (48.3%)

53 (68.8%)

45 (36.6%)

16 (44.4%)

< 0.001bc

3.565 (1.912–6.650)

1.197 (0.543–2.641)

 Continuous positive airway pressure

167 (70.8%)

54 (70.1%)

92 (74.8%)

21 (58.3%)

0.163

0.862 (0.444–1.671)

0.465 (0.205–1.054)

 Positive pressure ventilation

86 (36.4%)

34 (44.2%)

38 (30.9%)

14 (38.9%)

0.162

1.711 (0.929–3.150)

1.362 (0.610–3.043)

 Intermediate care unit admission

13 (5.5%)

3 (3.9%)

7 (5.7%)

3 (8.3%)

0.625

0.786 (0.184–3.364)

2.016 (0.442–9.184)

 Neonatal intensive care unit admission

180 (76.3%)

63 (81.8%)

91 (74.0%)

26 (72.2%)

0.390

1.770 (0.847–3.699)

0.840 (0.349–2.017)

 Respiratory distress syndrome

44 (18.6%)

23 (29.9%)

15 (12.2%)

6 (16.7%)

0.006c

3.177 (1.485–6.795)

1.115 (0.376–3.304)

 Persistent tachypnoea of the newborn

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

 Mean neonatal weight (grams)

1385.2 ± 371.6

1376.4 ± 362.5

1371.1 ± 384.1

1452.5 ± 349.0

0.498

–

–

Maternal

 Gestational age at delivery (weeks of gestation)

30.3 ± 1.1

30.3 ± 1.2

30.2 ± 1.2

30.5 ± 1.0

0.468

–

–

Underlying disease

 Diabetes mellitus (DM)

3 (1.3%)

1 (1.3%)

2 (1.6%)

0 (0.0%)

1.000

0.796 (0.071–8.930)

–

 Hypertension

19 (8.1%)

8 (10.4%)

8 (6.5%)

3 (8.3%)

0.614

1.667 (0.598–4.642)

1.307 (0.328–5.206)

 Others

22 (9.3%)

6 (7.8%)

13 (10.6%)

3 (8.3%)

0.791

0.715 (0.260–1.968)

0.769 (0.207–2.863)

 Puerperal infection

2 (0.8%)

0 (0.0%)

2 (1.6%)

0 (0.0%)

0.658

–

–

 Referral to other centres

18 (7.6%)

5 (6.5%)

9 (7.3%)

4 (11.1%)

0.704

0.880 (0.283–2.729)

1.583 (0.458–5.479)

  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
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