What do systematic reviews say?

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – maternal outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in maternal adverse effects of therapy compared with betamethasone – maternal outcomes (moderate certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.63 [0.35, 1.13]
  2 studies · 1705 participants
  Moderate

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – child outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in any known death after randomisation (fetal, neonatal, child, child… compared with betamethasone – fetal/neonatal outcomes (moderate certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.03 [0.66, 1.63]
  5 studies · 2105 participants
  Moderate

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – child outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in respiratory distress syndrome compared with betamethasone – fetal/neonatal outcomes (high certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.06 [0.91, 1.22]
  5 studies · 2105 participants
  High

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – child outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in intraventricular haemorrhage compared with betamethasone – fetal/neonatal outcomes (low certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.71 [0.28, 1.81]
  4 studies · 1901 participants
  Low

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – child outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in chronic lung disease compared with betamethasone – fetal/neonatal outcomes (moderate certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.92 [0.64, 1.34]
  1 study · 1509 participants
  Moderate

Dexamethasone vs betamethasone – child outcomes

Dexamethasone showed no clear difference in necrotising enterocolitis compared with betamethasone – fetal/neonatal outcomes (low certainty).

• Different corticosteroids and regimens for accelerating fetal lung maturation for babies at risk of preterm birth 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 5.08 [0.25, 105.15]
  2 studies · 441 participants
  Low

Paracetamol vs ibuprofen

Paracetamol showed no clear difference in failure of PDA closure after first course of treatment (assessed by… compared with ibuprofen (moderate certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.88, 1.18]
  18 studies · 1535 participants
  Moderate

Early paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

Early paracetamol may leads to lower failure of PDA closure after first course of treatment (by… compared with placebo/no intervention (low certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.35
  2 studies · 127 participants
  Low

Early paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Early paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Late paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

Late paracetamol showed no clear difference in failure of PDA closure after first course of treatment (assessed by… compared with placebo/no intervention (low certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.85 [0.72, 1.01]
  1 study · 55 participants
  Low

Late paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Late paracetamol vs placebo or no intervention

Late paracetamol showed no clear difference in necrotizing enterocolitis during initial hospital stay (by… compared with placebo/no intervention (low certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.04 [0.07, 15.76]
  1 study · 55 participants
  Low

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen (oral or IV) vs ibuprofen plus placebo (oral or IV) or no intervention

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen (oral or IV) showed no clear difference in failure of PDA closure after first course of treatment (assessed by… compared with ibuprofen plus placebo (oral or IV) or no intervention (low certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.77 [0.43, 1.36]
  2 studies · 111 participants
  Low

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen (oral or IV) vs ibuprofen plus placebo (oral or IV) or no intervention

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen (oral or IV) vs ibuprofen plus placebo (oral or IV) or no intervention

Paracetamol plus ibuprofen (oral or IV) showed no clear difference in necrotizing enterocolitis during initial hospital stay (radiological… compared with ibuprofen plus placebo (oral or IV) or no intervention (low certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.33 [0.01, 7.45]
  1 study · 24 participants
  Low

Paracetamol vs ibuprofen

Paracetamol showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality during initial hospital stay(by clinical… compared with ibuprofen (moderate certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.09 [0.8, 1.48]
  8 studies · 734 participants
  Moderate

Paracetamol vs ibuprofen

Paracetamol showed no clear difference in necrotizing enterocolitisduring initial hospital stay (by… compared with ibuprofen (moderate certainty).

• Paracetamol (acetaminophen) for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm or low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.3 [0.87, 1.94]
  10 studies · 1015 participants
  Moderate

Synbiotic vs control

• Synbiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 907 participants
  Low

Synbiotic vs control

• Synbiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 925 participants
  Low