Dexamethasone therapy in chronic lung disease.

Steroids have been used in the treatment of infants with chronic lung disease (CLD) for over a decade. Some studies have reported beneficial effects from long, tapering 42-day course of dexamethasone. Short term regimens have also shown beneficial effects on ventilator dependent infants with CLD. Although steroid therapy has been successful in infants with established CLD, more recently, dexamethasone therapy is being initiated in infants with RDS considered to be at risk for developing CLD. Some of the initial studies reported higher rates of infection, but more recent prospective data have not shown an increased incidence of sepsis in patients treated with steroids. Presently, early steroid therapy appears to be beneficial to minimize lung injury in infants treated with surfactant.