Early postnatal corticosteroids (PCs) (<96 h after birth) v control in at risk, preterm infants*
| Weighted event rates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outcomes | Number of studies (n) | Early PCs | Control | RRR (95% CI) | NNT (CI) |
| Chronic lung disease (CLD) at 28 days | 14 (1831) | 39% | 48% | 21% (13 to 29) | 10 (8 to 17) |
| CLD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age | 13 (1653) | 16% | 26% | 38% (25 to 49) | 10 (8 to 17) |
| Death or CLD at 28 days | 13 (1533) | 54% | 63% | 14% (6 to 21) | 12 (8 to 25) |
| Death or CLD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age | 15 (2415) | 43% | 50% | 14% (6 to 21) | 15 (10 to 34) |
| Need for late steroids | 9 (1865) | 34% | 48% | 30% (22 to 37) | 8 (6 to 10) |
| RRI (95% CI) | NNH (CI) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Abbreviations defined in glossary; RRR, RRI, NNT, NNH, and CI calculated from data in article using a fixed effects model. | |||||
| Hyperglycaemia | 11 (2016) | 40% | 27% | 48% (32 to 66) | 8 (6 to 10) |
| Hypertension | 10 (1946) | 22% | 12% | 84% (54 to 121) | 10 (8 to 15) |
| Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy | 1 (50) | 52% | 12% | 333% (40 to 1240) | 3 (2 to 6) |
| Growth failure | 1 (50) | 80% | 12% | 567% (127 to 1860) | 2 (2 to 3) |
| Gastrointestinal bleeding | 9 (1440) | 12% | 6% | 90% (35 to 166) | 17 (12 to 34) |
| Intestinal perforation | 9 (1871) | 8% | 4% | 98% (32 to 195) | 25 (17 to 50) |
| Developmental delay | 1 (248) | 34% | 20% | 68% (8 to 161) | 8 (5 to 34) |
| Cerebral palsy | 2 (510) | 21% | 9% | 132% (48 to 265) | 9 (6 to 17) |
| Death or cerebral palsy | 2 (510) | 53% | 39% | 35% (11 to 64) | 8 (5 to 20) |