Table 1.
Sample characteristics
| Control (n = 29) | Inotrope-Exposed (n = 11) | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient factors | |||
| Gestational age, mean (SD) wk | 25.4 (1.5) | 24.8 (1.8) | 0.26 |
| Birth weight, mean (SD) g | 808 (197) | 745 (250) | 0.17 |
| IUGR status†, n (%) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 1.00 |
| Male sex, n (%) | 15 (52) | 4 (36) | 0.48 |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| Asian, n (%) | 1 (3) | 1 (9) | 0.28 |
| Black, n (%) | 10 (35) | 4 (37) | |
| Hispanic, n (%) | 0 (0) | 1 (9) | |
| White, n (%) | 18 (62) | 5 (45) | |
| Perinatal factors | |||
| Vaginal delivery, n (%) | 8 (28) | 1 (9) | 0.39 |
| Antenatal MgSO4 exposure, n (%) | 19 (66) | 8 (72) | 1.00 |
| Antenatal steroid exposure | |||
| Any exposure, n (%) | 25 (86) | 9 (82) | 1.00 |
| Complete course‡, n (%) | 17 (59) | 9 (82) | 0.27 |
| Preeclampsia, n (%) | 7 (24) | 3 (27) | 1.00 |
| Chorioamnionitis§, n (%) | 4 (14) | 3 (27) | 0.37 |
| Cord pH, mean (SD) | 7.30 (0.09) | 7.34 (0.07) | 0.53 |
| Apgar score 5 min, median (range) | 6 (1–9) | 5 (2–9) | 0.24 |
| Clinical factors | |||
| Initial MABP, mean (SD) mmHg | 28.6 (6.3) | 23.9 (3.9) | 0.02* |
| CRIB II score, median (range) | 12 (8–17) | 14.5 (8–17) | 0.02* |
| Culture-positive sepsis, n (%) | 0 (0) | 2 (18) | 0.07 |
| Intraventricular hemorrhage | |||
| Any grade, n (%) | 8 (28) | 8 (72) | 0.01* |
| Grade III/IV, n (%) | 5 (17) | 6 (55) | 0.04* |
| Died, n (%) | 2 (7) | 4 (36) | 0.04* |
IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction; MABP, mean arterial blood pressure.
*
Statistical significance at P < 0.05.
†
Birth weight <10th centile;
‡
2 doses of β-methasone over a 48-h period;
§
based on histopathological diagnosis.