Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

90.5K

Postnatal Steroids in Preterm Infants: A Narrative Review Series-Part 3: Impacts on Growth, Neurodevelopment &

Phoenix Plessas-Azurduy1, Jarred Garfinkle2, Marc Beltempo2

  • 1Division of Clinical & Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 4, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Postnatal corticosteroids improve preterm infant breathing but may impact growth and brain development. A comprehensive approach is needed to balance these effects for optimal infant outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pharmacology

Background:

  • Postnatal corticosteroids (CS) are used to improve respiratory outcomes in preterm infants.
  • Long-term effects of CS on infant growth and neurodevelopment require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the systemic consequences of postnatal corticosteroids.
  • To understand the interplay between CS, growth, hypoxia, and neurodevelopmental vulnerability.

Main Methods:

  • This review builds on physiologic principles.
  • It examines systemic corticosteroid consequences through a narrative review approach.

Main Results:

  • Exploration of the relationship between growth restriction, hypoxia, and neurodevelopmental vulnerability.
  • Discussion of findings related to brain imaging, metabolic disruptions, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression.

Conclusions:

  • Advocates for a holistic, physiology-informed approach to care for preterm infants.
  • Emphasizes integrating nutritional vulnerability with cardiorespiratory status to optimize outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
body compositionbronchopulmonary dysplasiahpa axis suppressionigf-axis regulationneurodevelopmental outcomesphysiology-informed carepostnatal corticosteroidsprecision surveillanceskeletal healthsomatic growth

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