It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids changes open‐label use of systemic corticosteroids compared with placebo (very low certainty).
Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) leads to lower mortality at latest reported age compared with control (placebo or nothing) (high certainty).
Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) probably leads to lower BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with control (placebo or nothing) (moderate certainty).
Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) probably leads to lower mortality or BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with control (placebo or nothing) (moderate certainty).
Systemic corticosteroids (dexamethasone or hydrocortisone) showed no clear difference in cerebral palsy ‐ at latest reported age compared with control (placebo or nothing) (high certainty).
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).
Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids showed no clear difference in mortality at latest reported age compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).
Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids probably leads to lower BPD (36 weeks' PMA) compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).
Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to lower mortality or BPD at 36 weeks' PMA compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).
Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to higher gastrointestinal perforation during primary hospitalisation compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).
Early systemic postnatal corticosteroids leads to higher cerebral palsy at latest reported age compared with placebo or no treatment (high certainty).
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).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in death or BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age among all randomised compared with systemic corticosteroids (moderate certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in death or BPD at 28 days compared with systemic corticosteroids (low certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age compared with systemic corticosteroids (moderate certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in BPD at 28 days compared with systemic corticosteroids (low certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in death or BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age compared with systemic steroids (moderate certainty).
Inhaled steroids probably leads to lower diastolic blood pressure > 95th percentile at 7 years compared with systemic steroids (moderate certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in ever diagnosed as asthmatic by 7 years compared with systemic steroids (moderate certainty).
Inhaled steroids showed no clear difference in BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age compared with systemic steroids (low certainty).