Antenatal corticosteroids affecting enteral feeding and growth of preterm infants: A retrospective cohort study

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Ping Luo
  • Xudong Liu
  • Liya Ma
  • You Chen
  • Kun Zhang
  • Ping Zhou
  • Yan Nan Jiang
  • Jiang, Ping-Ping

Background: Treatment of antenatal corticosteroids (ACSs) to women at risk of preterm labor can decrease neonatal mortality and morbidity. However, effect of ACS exposure on enteral feeding and body growth of preterm infants remains elusive. Methods: This retrospective study collected information of eligible singleton infants born between 22+0 and 36+6 weeks’ gestation from 2017 to 2019. Logistic regression and multivariate linear regression were adopted to examine the associations of the ACS exposure with various outcomes of enteral feeding and growth considering potential confounders. Stratified analysis was performed based on gestational age (GA) (<34 vs ≥34 weeks). Results: Of the 1694 preterm infants included, 1222 (72.1%) were exposed to ACSs. Infants with ACS exposure had a higher incidence of feeding intolerance (odds ratio 1.51; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.20; P =.03), slower advancement of enteral feeding (β coefficient −0.86; 95% CI, −1.48 to −0.25; P =.01), and lower delta body-weight z-scores (β coefficient−0.13; 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.08; P <.001). Unlike in infants with GA <34 weeks, ACS exposure was associated with slower advancement of enteral feeding, longer time to regain birth weight, and lower delta body-weight z-scores in the ones with GA ≥34 weeks. Conclusion: ACS exposure is associated with poorer enteral feeding process and body growth in our study population, which is more prominent in late preterm infants. A multicenter prospective study and mechanistic studies using animal models are required.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Volume46
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)572-582
ISSN0148-6071
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

    Research areas

  • antenatal corticosteroids, enteral feeding, growth, preterm infants

ID: 299105553