Blood pressure at 6 years of age after prenatal exposure to betamethasone: Follow-up results of a randomized, controlled trial

Objective. To determine whether prenatal exposure to betamethasone for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) alters blood pressure in childhood. Design. Prospective follow-up study of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting. National Women's Hospital ( Auckland, New Zealand). Participants. Two hundred twenty-three 6-year-old children of mothers who presented with unplanned premature labor and took part in a randomized, controlled trial of prenatal betamethasone therapy for the prevention of neonatal RDS. Intervention. Mothers received 2 doses of betamethasone ( 12 mg) or placebo, administered through intramuscular injection, 24 hours apart. Main Outcome Measures. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 6 years of age. Results. Children exposed prenatally to betamethasone ( n = 121) did not differ in systolic or diastolic blood pressure from children exposed to placebo ( n = 102) ( mean difference: systolic: - 1.6 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval: - 4.1 to 0.8 mm Hg; diastolic: - 0.3 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval: - 2.5 to 1.8 mm Hg). Conclusion. Prenatal exposure to betamethasone for prevention of neonatal RDS does not alter blood pressure at 6 years of age.