Treating Preterm Infants with Steroids: When Does Benefit Outweigh Cost?

极早产儿经常出现严重的呼吸困难，需要机器帮助呼吸。某些类固醇有助于肺的成熟，使婴儿能够在没有帮助的情况下自主呼吸。然而，类固醇和长时间使用呼吸机都可能会干扰正常的大脑发育。这项研究将帮助医生权衡给婴儿服用类固醇以帮助他们自主呼吸的长期风险和好处，以及继续使用不使用类固醇的机械通气的风险和好处。

Extremely premature infants often develop severe breathing difficulties and need the help of a machine to breathe. Certain steroids help to mature the lung and allow the baby to breathe on his own without help. However, both steroids and long periods on breathing machines may interfere with normal brain development. This study will help doctors to weigh up the long-term risks and benefits of giving a baby steroids to help them breathe on their own versus continuing mechanical ventilation without steroids.