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Table 7 Subgroup analysis by late 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 = 1247)

<  1 course (n = 536): (1)

1 course (n = 632): (2)

> 1 course (n = 79): (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)

118 (9.5%)

40 (7.5%)

70 (11.1%)

8 (10.1%)

0.107

0.664 (0.441–0.979)

0.849 (0.389–1.854)

 APGAR score < 7 (5 min)

26 (2.1%)

12 (2.2%)

12 (1.9%)

2 (2.5%)

0.884

1.224 (0.543–2.756)

1.270 (0.276–5.855)

 Post-natal adaptation

64 (5.1%)

23 (4.3%)

38 (6.0%)

3 (3.8%)

0.354

0.730 (0.428–1.244)

0.573 (0.171–1.916)

 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

1 (0.1%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.2%)

0 (0.0%)

0.615

–

–

 Pneumonia

15 (1.2%)

5 (0.9%)

8 (1.3%)

2 (2.5%)

0.467

0.731 (0.236–2.264)

2.227 (0.453–10.94)

 Pneumothorax

17 (1.4%)

6 (1.1%)

11 (1.7%)

0 (0.0%)

0.368

0.639 (0.233–1.748)

–

 Intraventricular haemorrhage

7 (0.6%)

5 (0.9%)

2 (0.3%)

0 (0.0%)

0.294

2.800 (0.538–14.58)

–

 Necrotising enterocolitis

9 (0.7%)

1 (0.2%)

7 (1.1%)

1 (1.3%)

0.151

0.165 (0.020–1.354)

0.965 (0.110–8.506)

 Neonatal death

15 (1.2%)

7 (1.3%)

7 (1.1%)

1 (1.3%)

0.952

1.183 (0.405–3.457)

1.156 (0.135–9.938)

 Sepsis

46 (3.7%)

13 (2.4%)

26 (4.1%)

7 (8.9%)

0.013b

0.573 (0.290–1.130)

2.232 (0.921–5.406)

 Hypothermia

28 (2.2%)

14 (2.6%)

12 (1.9%)

2 (2.5%)

0.703

1.503 (0.684–3.304)

1.221 (0.264–5.634)

 Phototherapy

587 (47.1%)

253 (47.2%)

290 (45.9%)

44 (55.7%)

0.257

1.073 (0.850–1.355)

1.459 (0.907–2.347)

 Transient tachypnoea of the newborn

213 (17.1%)

88 (16.4%)

108 (17.1%)

17 (21.5%)

0.531

0.934 (0.684–1.275)

1.389 (0.775–2.488)

 Ventilator support

64 (5.1%)

26 (4.9%)

33 (5.2%)

5 (6.3%)

0.848

0.923 (0.543–1.569)

1.248 (0.469–3.324)

 Continuous positive airway pressure

119 (9.5%)

43 (8.0%)

67 (10.6%)

9 (11.4%)

0.277

0.712 (0.475–1.067)

1.107 (0.524–2.337)

 Positive pressure ventilation

91 (7.3%)

41 (7.6%)

43 (6.8%)

7 (8.9%)

0.737

1.177 (0.752–1.843)

1.321 (0.568–3.071)

 Intermediate care unit admission

1082 (86.8%)

469 (87.5%)

550 (87.0%)

63 (79.7%)

0.159

1.018 (0.719–1.442)

0.609 (0.333–1.113)

 Neonatal intensive care unit admission

122 (9.8%)

53 (9.9%)

62 (9.8%)

7 (8.9%)

0.959

1.027 (0.697–1.515)

0.876 (0.384–1.998)

 Respiratory distress syndrome

28 (2.2%)

10 (1.9%)

15 (2.4%)

3 (3.8%)

0.531

0.762 (0.338–1.717)

1.729 (0.483–6.192)

 Persistent tachypnoea of the newborn

1 (0.1%)

1 (0.2%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0.515

–

–

 Length of hospital stay (days)

5 (1–179)

5 (1–179)

5 (1–166)

7 (2–179)

<  0.001ab

–

–

 Mean neonatal weight (grams)

2441.2 ± 437.9

2508.0 ± 444.5

2413.3 ± 426.9

2210.4 ± 377.9

<  0.001abc

–

–

Maternal

 Gestational age at delivery (weeks of gestation)

35.6 ± 0.9

35.7 ± 0.9

35.5 ± 0.9

35.0 ± 0.9

<  0.001abc

–

–

Underlying disease

 Diabetes mellitus (DM)

22 (1.8%)

9 (1.7%)

11 (1.7%)

2 (2.5%)

0.879

0.964 (0.396–2.344)

1.466 (0.319–6.739)

 Hypertension

65 (5.2%)

23 (4.3%)

34 (5.4%)

8 (10.1%)

0.084

0.789 (0.459–1.356)

1.982 (0.883–4.448)

 Others

127 (10.2%)

46 (8.6%)

66 (10.4%)

15 (19.0%)

0.017b

0.805 (0.542–1.196)

2.010 (1.084–3.726)

Length of hospital stay (days)

6 (2–124)

5 (2–18)

6 (2–57)

13 (2–124)

<  0.001abc

  

Puerperal infection

6 (0.5%)

4 (0.7%)

2 (0.3%)

0 (0.0%)

0.466

2.368 (0.432–12.98)

–

Referral to other centres

9 (0.7%)

2 (0.4%)

6 (0.9%)

1 (1.3%)

0.429

0.391 (0.079–1.944)

1.338 (0.159–11.26)

  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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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

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