Postnatal Steroid Use in Infants at Risk for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: A Retrospective Observational Study of a Level III NICU.

Introduction: This retrospective observational study was designed to examine early vs. late steroid use and if there was an impact on the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and growth in our NICU. Methods: Between July 2019 and August 2021, 175 infants <30 weeks gestational age and/or 1500 grams at birth were enrolled in our retrospective observational study. Infants were classified into three cohorts based on initial steroid exposure and timing: no exposure, ≤21 days of life (DOL), and >21 DOL. We classified BPD using support-based criteria at 36 weeks and evaluated differences between the steroid groups using a chi-square test. Results: There were no statistical differences observed in infants who began steroids before or after DOL 21 concerning BPD or support required at discharge. ΔZ-scores from birth to DOL 42 demonstrated similar growth velocity between all cohorts (P=0.199). Conclusions: No significant difference was found in BPD outcomes when comparing early (≤21) vs. late postnatal steroid initiation (>21 days). Growth velocities were not adversely impacted by steroid exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]