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Renal function, renal volume, and blood pressure in infants with antecedent of antenatal steroids

Deyanira Carballo-Magdaleno1, Juan M Guízar-Mendoza, Norma Amador-Licona

  • 1Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad No. 48, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|June 7, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Prematurity, not antenatal steroid use, is linked to higher blood pressure and kidney function in infants. This study found no significant differences between preterm infants who received steroids and those who did not.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Nephrology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Antenatal steroid administration is used to promote pulmonary maturity in preterm infants.
  • Potential long-term adverse effects include insulin resistance and elevated blood pressure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare renal volume, function, and blood pressure in infants aged 12-36 months.
  • To assess the impact of antenatal steroid treatment versus prematurity itself.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving three groups: preterm infants with antenatal steroids, preterm infants without, and full-term infants (30 per group).
  • Measurements included blood pressure, renal volume, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and tubular function.
  • Cystatin C levels were used to assess GFR.

Main Results:

  • Both preterm groups showed higher blood pressure, cystatin C levels, and GFR compared to the full-term control group (p < 0.01).
  • No significant differences were observed in measured variables between preterm infants who received antenatal steroids and those who did not.
  • Renal volume was comparable between preterm and full-term infants.

Conclusions:

  • Prematurity, independent of antenatal steroid exposure, is associated with elevated cystatin C, higher blood pressure, and increased GFR in infants aged 12-36 months.
  • Antenatal steroid treatment did not appear to significantly alter these specific renal and cardiovascular parameters by 12-36 months of age.

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