Functional residual capacity and pulmonary mechanics in premature infants receiving a 12-day dexamethasone course.

The objective of this paper is to determine the effects of a 12-day dexamethasone course of the pulmonary function of preterm infants. The design consisted of a consecutive sample of eligible patients, before-after trial. The Regional referral center neonatal ICU was the setting. The patients were 13 preterm infants, 545-1315 g, requiring mechanical ventilation. The following was used: Intravenous dexamethasone for a 12-day tapering course beginning at 0.5 mg/kg every 12 hr. Main outcome measures were as follows: Measurements of functional residual capacity (FRC), compliance, resistance, arterial blood gases and alveolar-arterial differences, level of ventilatory assistance, weight, length. All measures of pulmonary function demonstrated significant improvement by Day 12 of treatment. Most improvement occurred in the first 6 days of treatment, in association with increased lung volume.