What do systematic reviews say?

Barbiturate treatment vs placebo or no treatment

It is very uncertain whether barbiturate treatment changes cerebral palsy compared with placebo or no treatment (very low certainty).

• Prophylactic barbiturate use for the prevention of morbidity and mortality following perinatal asphyxia 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.58 [0.19, 1.7]
  2 studies · 69 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

• Endothelin receptor antagonists for persistent pulmonary hypertension in term and late preterm infants 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  37 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in cerebral palsy (moderate certainty).

• Prophylactic phototherapy for preventing jaundice in preterm or low birth weight infants 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.96 [0.5, 1.85]
  2 studies · 756 participants
  Moderate

Caffeine vs other methylxanthines

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Caffeine versus other methylxanthines for the prevention and treatment of apnea in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Intervention not reported

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Xenon as an adjuvant to therapeutic hypothermia in near‐term and term newborns with hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Continuous glucose monitoring system vs intermittent modalities

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Continuous glucose monitoring for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Moderate vs low protein concentration of human milk fortifier

• Comparison of different protein concentrations of human milk fortifier for promoting growth and neurological… 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

High vs moderate protein concentration of human milk fortifier

• Comparison of different protein concentrations of human milk fortifier for promoting growth and neurological… 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

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

Individual tailored vs continuous tapered dexamethasone regimen

Individual tailored showed no clear difference in death or cerebral palsy at 1 to 3 years compared with continuous tapered dexamethasone regimen (moderate certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroid regimens for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 7.24 [0.95, 55.26]
  1 study · 59 participants
  Moderate

Lower vs higher cumulative dose dexamethasone regimen

Lower showed no clear difference in death or cerebral palsy at 1 to 3 years compared with higher cumulative dose dexamethasone regimen (low certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroid regimens for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.74 [0.94, 3.24]
  4 studies · 193 participants
  Low

Later vs earlier initiation of dexamethasone therapy

Later showed no clear difference in death or cerebral palsy at 1 to 3 years compared with earlier initiation of dexamethasone therapy (low certainty).

• Systemic corticosteroid regimens for prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.12 [0.68, 1.84]
  1 study · 86 participants
  Low

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

Prebiotic vs control

• Prebiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 76 participants
  Very low

Methylxanthine vs placebo or control

Methylxanthine showed no clear difference in a) Cerebral palsy or gross motor disability compared with placebo or control (moderate certainty).

• Methylxanthine for the prevention and treatment of apnea in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.03 [0.43, 2.49]
  1 study · 415 participants
  Moderate

Methylxanthine vs placebo or control

Methylxanthine showed no clear difference in a) Cerebral palsy or gross motor disability compared with placebo or control (moderate certainty).

• Methylxanthine for the prevention and treatment of apnea in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.6 [0.29, 1.25]
  1 study · 729 participants
  Moderate

Methylxanthine vs placebo or control

Methylxanthine probably leads to lower a) Cerebral palsy or gross motor disability compared with placebo or control (moderate certainty).

• Methylxanthine for the prevention and treatment of apnea in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.54 [0.32, 0.92]
  1 study · 644 participants
  Moderate

Methylxanthine vs placebo or control

Methylxanthine probably leads to lower a) Cerebral palsy or gross motor disability compared with placebo or control (moderate certainty).

• Methylxanthine for the prevention and treatment of apnea in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.6 [0.41, 0.88]
  1 study · 1810 participants
  Moderate

Summary of findings table ‐ Silicone earplugs vs no earplugs

It is very uncertain whether summary of findings table ‐ Silicone earplugs changes cerebral palsy at 18 to 22 months' corrected age compared with no earplugs (very low certainty).

• Noise or sound management in the neonatal intensive care unit for preterm or very low birth weight infants 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3 [0.15, 61.74]
  1 study · 12 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in cerebral palsy at 18 to 24 months' corrected age (high certainty).

• Early erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents in preterm or low birth weight infants 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.72 [0.46, 1.13]
  6 studies · 1172 participants
  High