PERINATAL TRIALS REPORT

PT0359

DART Trial

Postnatal Dexamethasone in tiny babies: does it do more good than harm?

Plain Language Summary:      

Carticosteroids sych as dexamethasone are prescribed frequently in neonatal intensive care nurseries, particularly to reduce ventilator-dependence and the rate of chronic lung disease in preterm infants. However, there is uncertainty about which infants are most suitable for treatment, what dose should be given and whethere there are any harmful effects of this treatment. DART has been designed to test the effects, including costs, of this treatment in very preterm or low birthweight infants.

Trial status:                         Closed to accrual

Date closed to accrual:    October 2002

Trial Objective:

1. To determine if dexamethasone given to extremely low birth-weight (<1000g) or very preterm (<28 weeks) infants whoa re ventilator-dependent after 7 days of age reduces the rates of ventilator dependence and chronic lung disease, without adversely affecting either mortality or sensorineural impairments or disabilities at 2 years of age.

2. To calculate cost-effectiveness and cost-utility ratios for postnatal dexamethasone in such infants.

Type of administration:        Multi-centre National

Principal Investigator/s:       A/Professor Lex Doyle

                                         Ph 61 3 9344 2151

                                         Email l.doyle@obgyn.rwh.unimelb.edu.au

                                         Peter Davis

                                         Ph 61 3 9344 2151

                                         Colin Morley

                                         Ph 61 3 9344 2151

Contact Person/s:               A/ Professor Lex Doyle

                                         Ph 61 3 9344 2151

                                         Email l.doyle@obgyn.rwh.unimelb.edu.au

© IMPACT/PSANZ 2001