Can low dose dexamethasone improve lung function for preterm babies?

Published on Wednesday, 20 April 2016 Tweet

Chronic lung disease is an ongoing challenge for neonatal medicine, affecting around 1450 preterm babies every year in the UK. High doses of dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) have been shown to improve lung function, but may be associated with longer term neurodevelopmental problems. The effectiveness of lower doses of dexamethasone is unknown.

Dr Helen Yates, lead clinician for the Minidex trial, has recently published an article exploring this controversial topic and discussing the role of the Minidex trial in resolving this debate. The Minidex trial will examine the efficacy of very low dose dexamethasone therapy, to explore whether a minimal dose can still provide improvements in lung function without the short term side effects associated with standard dose therapy. Read the abstract.