Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34350865›Full record

Trial reportFetal diagnosis and therapy2021

Short-Term Effects of Dexamethasone versus Betamethasone on Ultrasonic Measures of Fetal Well-Being: Cohort from a Blinded, Randomized Trial.

Amanda Henry, Aditi Mahajan, Caroline A Crowther, Anne Lainchbury, Lynne Roberts, Antonia W Shand, Alec W Welsh

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Fetal diagnosis and therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Approaches Towards Better Immunosuppressive Agents.Current topics in medicinal chemistry · 2024
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Amanda HenrySchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Aditi MahajanSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Caroline A CrowtherLiggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Anne LainchburyRoyal Hospital for Women, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Lynne RobertsDepartment of Women's and Children's Health, St. George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Antonia W ShandDepartment of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Alec W WelshSchool of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Royal Hospital for Women · AUSutherland Hospital · AUThe University of Sydney · AUUniversity of Auckland · NZUNSW Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMaternal corticosteroid administration for anticipated preterm birth is common; however, the corticosteroid effect on fetal ultrasound and cardiotocograph (CTG) remains contested. This study aimed to evaluate short-term ultrasound and CTG impact of (a) dexamethasone versus betamethasone (b) pooled corticosteroid effect.

methodsSubstudy of blinded randomized trial of dexamethasone versus betamethasone (given <34 weeks). Umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), ductus venosus (DV), and uterine artery Doppler, myocardial performance index (MPI), biophysical profile (BPP), and CTG measured pre-corticosteroid then 1, 2, 4, and 7 days post-corticosteroid.

resultsOf 47 fetuses (39 singleton; 4 dichorionic, diamniotic twins; and 4 monochorionic, diamniotic twins) in the February 2012-2013 period, 24 received dexamethasone and 23 betamethasone at average gestation 29.8 ± 2.9 weeks. Thirteen pregnancies (30%) had pre-corticosteroid fetal concerns (estimated weight <10th centile and/or abnormal UA/MCA Doppler). Few significant differences were seen post-corticosteroid: DV pulsatility index and right MPI initially decreased 15-20%, and average BPP decreased slightly on days 1-2. There were no major differential effects of dexamethasone versus betamethasone. DISCUSSION/

conclusionNo substantive post-corticosteroid effects were seen for most ultrasound/CTG measures in fetuses with heightened preterm birth risk but predominantly normal pre-corticosteroid measures. Clinically, this suggests avoiding overreliance on individual measures for delivery decisions post-corticosteroid; equally, multiple/marked ultrasound changes suggest true pathology and not corticosteroid effect.

Indexed as

BetamethasonePremature BirthDexamethasoneFemaleFetal Growth RetardationFetusHumansInfant, NewbornPregnancyUltrasonicsUmbilical ArteriesBetamethasoneDexamethasoneAntenatal corticosteroidsBetamethasoneCardiotocographDexamethasoneDoppler ultrasound

Identifiers

PMID34350865
PMCPMC8491495
OpenAlexW3184068251

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.