What do systematic reviews say?

Inhaled corticosteroids vs no treatment or placebo

• Postnatal corticosteroids for transient tachypnoea of the newborn 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 49 participants
  Very low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids changes combined outcome of mortality or BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) inhaled corticosteroids to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.1 [0.74, 1.63]
  1 study · 30 participants
  Very low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids changes mortality at 36 weeks' PMA compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) inhaled corticosteroids to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3 [0.35, 25.78]
  3 studies · 61 participants
  Very low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids changes BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) inhaled corticosteroids to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.59, 1.7]
  1 study · 30 participants
  Very low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids changes open‐label use of systemic corticosteroids compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) inhaled corticosteroids to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.51 [0.26, 1]
  4 studies · 74 participants
  Very low

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids showed no clear difference in mortality at latest reported age compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.95 [0.85, 1.06]
  31 studies · 4373 participants
  High

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids probably leads to lower BPD (36 weeks' PMA) compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.8 [0.73, 0.88]
  26 studies · 4167 participants
  Moderate

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to lower mortality or BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.84, 0.94]
  26 studies · 4167 participants
  High

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to higher gastrointestinal perforation during primary hospitalisation compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.84 [1.36, 2.49]
  16 studies · 3040 participants
  High

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to higher cerebral palsy at latest reported age compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.42 [1.06, 1.91]
  13 studies · 1973 participants
  High

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids vs placebo or no treatment

Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids showed no clear difference in mortality or cerebral palsy at latest reported age compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).

• Early (< 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.03 [0.91, 1.16]
  13 studies · 1973 participants
  High

Systemic corticosteroids vs placebo or control

Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) leads to lower mortality at latest reported age compared with control (placebo or nothing) (high certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81 [0.66, 0.99]
  21 studies · 1428 participants
  High

Systemic corticosteroids vs placebo or control

Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) probably leads to lower BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with control (placebo or nothing) (moderate certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.8, 0.99]
  14 studies · 988 participants
  Moderate

Systemic corticosteroids vs placebo or control

Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) probably leads to lower mortality or BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with control (placebo or nothing) (moderate certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.85 [0.79, 0.92]
  14 studies · 988 participants
  Moderate

Systemic corticosteroids vs placebo or control

Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) showed no clear difference in cerebral palsy ‐ at latest reported age compared with control (placebo or nothing) (high certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.17 [0.84, 1.61]
  17 studies · 1290 participants
  High

Systemic corticosteroids vs placebo or control

Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) showed no clear difference in mortality or cerebral palsy ‐ at latest reported age compared with control (placebo or nothing) (high certainty).

• Late (≥ 7 days) systemic postnatal corticosteroids for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.9 [0.76, 1.06]
  17 studies · 1290 participants
  High