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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Mar 2.
Published in final edited form as: Pediatrics. 2008 Oct;122(4):775–781. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-2252

TABLE 4. Outcomes According to Cortisol Concentrations at Baseline (12–48 Hours) in the 10th and 90th Percentiles.

N 10th Percentile
(Cortisol Level
of <5.2 μg/dL)
Middle Quartiles 90th Percentile
(Cortisol Level
of >62.8 μg/dL)
P Odds Ratio (95% Confidence
Interval)
10th Percentile
vs Middle
Quartiles
90th Percentile
vs Middle
Quartiles
Outcomes
 Death by postmenstrual age of 36 wk,
  n/N (%)
233 4/33 (12) 21/166 (13) 10/34 (29) .04 0.95 (0.30–2.98) 2.88 (1.21–6.85)
 BPD, n/N (%) 197 14/29 (48) 83/144 (58) 16/24 (67) .40 0.69 (0.31–1.53) 1.47 (0.59–3.65)
 Any IVH, n/N (%) 223 7/33 (21) 58/159 (36) 15/31 (48) .07 0.47 (0.19–1.15) 1.63 (0.75–3.54)
 Severe IVH, n/N (%) 223 3/33 (9) 19/159 (12) 10/31 (32) .02 0.74 (0.21–2.65) 3.51 (1.44–8.57)
 PVL, n/N (%) 150 0/22 (0) 8/110 (7) 5/18 (28) .01 Not estimable 4.90 (1.39–17.25)
 Any gastrointestinal perforation, n/N (%) 233 1/33 (3) 15/166 (9) 8/34 (24) .02 0.32 (0.04–2.47) 3.10 (1.19–8.04)
 Spontaneous gastrointestinal
  perforation, n/N (%)
233 1/33 (3) 7/166 (4) 6/34 (18) .02 0.71 (0.08–5.97) 4.87 (1.52–15.56)
 Nosocomial infection, n/N (%) 233 10/33 (30) 68/166 (41) 17/34 (50) .26 0.63 (0.28–1.40) 1.44 (0.69–3.02)
 Severe ROP, n/N (%) 198 3/29 (10) 47/145 (32) 11/24 (46) .01 0.24 (0.07–0.84) 1.76 (0.74–4.23)
Treatment
 Open-label hydrocortisone use during
  treatment, n/N (%)
233 5/33 (15) 49/166 (30) 7/34 (21) .17 0.43 (0.16–1.17) 0.62 (0.25–1.52)
 Vasopressor use in first 28 d, n/N (%) 233 15/33 (45) 127/166 (77) 24/34 (71) .002 0.26 (0.12–0.56) 0.74 (0.32–1.67)
 Duration of vasopressor use, median
  (interquartile range), d
233 0 (0–3) 4 (1–7) 2 (0–6) .002 NA NA

N indicates the number of observations. P values refer to differences between all groups. The denominator for IVH is based on the number of infants with head ultrasound scans before death, the denominator for periventricular leukomalacia is based on the number of infants with head sonograms at 4 to 6 weeks of age, the denominator for BPD is based on survivors at postmenstrual age of 36 weeks, and the denominator for severe (stage 3 and above) retinopathy of prematurity is based on the number of infants diagnosed before death. Severe IVH includes grades 3 and 4. Any gastrointestinal perforation includes all causes. Spontaneous gastrointestinal perforation is not associated with necrotizing enterocolitis. PVL indicates periventricular leukomalacia; ROP, retinopathy of prematurity; NA, not applicable.