The Effects of Antenatal Steroid Treatment on Preterm Infants’ Early Laboratory Analysis

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the effects of antenatal steroid treatment on preterm laboratory analysis conducted in the first 24 hours of life. METHODS: Medical records of inborn preterm infants whose gestational age was ≤32 weeks were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Preterm infants whose mothers received antenatal betamethasone treatment of either 12 mg or 24 mg and who did not were divided into two groups. Maternal and neonatal demographic characteristics, all preterm morbidities and mortality rates, early laboratory examinations were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Medical records of 603 infants between 2008 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Data from 515 infants were analyzed. Three hundred and four infants (n=304) were in the antenatal steroid treatment (AST) group and 211 infants were in the group that did not receive the treatment. The incidence of preeclampsia and oligohydramnios was significantly higher in the AST group. Intubation in the delivery room rates decreased in the AST group. APGAR scores at five minutes were significantly higher in the AST group. White blood counts (WBC) significantly decreased, whereas the platelet counts were higher in the AST group. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION: We did not demonstrate any relationship between inflammatory markers and antenatal steroid treatment in preterm infants.