Objective
To evaluate the relationship of maternal antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) with neonatal cranial ultrasound abnormalities and cerebral palsy (CP).
Study design
In a randomized trial of MgSO4 or placebo in women at high risk of preterm delivery, up to three cranial ultrasound were obtained in the neonatal period. Images were reviewed by at least two pediatric radiologists masked to treatment and other clinical conditions. Diagnoses were predefined for intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), intracerebral echolucency or echodensity, and ventriculomegaly. CP was diagnosed at two years by standardized neurological examination.
Results
Intraventricular hemorrhage, PVL, intracerebral echolucency or echodensity, and ventriculomegaly were all strongly associated with an increased risk of CP. MgSO4 administration did not affect the risk of cranial ultrasound abnormality observed at 35 weeks post-menstrual age or later. However, for the 82% of infants born at <32 weeks gestation, MgSO4 was associated with a reduction in risk of echolucency or echodensity. The reduction in risk for echolucency explained 21% of the effect of MgSO4 on CP (p=0.04), and for echodensity explained 20% of the effect (p=0.02).
Conclusions
MgSO4 given prior to preterm delivery was associated with decreased risk of developing echodensities and echolucencies at <32 weeks gestation. However, this effect can only partially explain the effect of MgSO4 on CP at two years of age.
Objective
To examine the association between gestational age (GA) at the time of treatment initiation for gestational diabetes (GDM) and maternal and perinatal outcomes.
Study Design
A secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized treatment trial of mild GDM in which women with mild GDM were randomized to treatment versus usual care. The primary outcome of the original trial, as well as this analysis, was a composite perinatal adverse outcome that included neonatal hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and perinatal mortality. Other outcomes examined included the frequency of large for gestational age (LGA), birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit admission (NICU), gestational hypertension / preeclampsia and cesarean delivery. The interaction between GA at treatment initiation (stratified as 24-26 weeks, 27 weeks, 28 weeks, 29 weeks, ≥30 weeks) and treatment group (treated vs. routine care), with the outcomes of interest, was used to determine whether GA at treatment initiation was associated with outcome differences.
Results
Of 958 women analyzed, those who initiated treatment at an earlier GA did not gain an additional treatment benefit compared to those who initiated treatment at a later GA (p-value for interaction with the primary outcome is 0.44). Similarly, there was no evidence that other outcomes were significantly improved by earlier initiation of GDM treatment (LGA p=0.76; NICU admission p=0.8; cesarean delivery p=0.82). The only outcome that had a significant interaction between GA and treatment was gestational hypertension/preeclampsia (p=0.04), although there was not a clear cut GA trend where this outcome improved with treatment.
Conclusion
Earlier initiation of treatment of mild GDM was not associated with stronger effect of treatment on perinatal outcomes.
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