Variable Summary statistics
GA (weeks) – median (IQR) 25.3 (24.4-26.3)
BW (grams) – median (IQR) 720 (624-839)
Male – N (%) 181 (63)
Inborn - N (%) 233 (81)
Multiples - N (%) 94 (33)
Oligohydramnios - N (%) 20 (7)
Chorioamnionitis - N (%) 82 (29)
Antenatal steroids - N (%) nil 12 (4)
<24 hours 90 (31)
completed 176 (62)
> 7days 9 (3)
No. of doses of postnatal surfactant - N (%) 0 3 (1)
1 48 (17)
2 227 (79)
3 8 (2.7)
4 1 (0.3)
No. of prior failed extubation attempts - N (%) 0 196 (69)
1 70 (24)
2 20 (6.7)
3 1 (0.3)
Days ventilated prior to dexamethasone - median (IQR) 12 (10-29)
Age at starting dexamethasone (days) - median (IQR) 19 (15-27)
GA at dexamethasone (weeks) - median (IQR) 28.3 (27-29.8)
Weight at starting dexamethasone (grams)- median (IQR) 990 (819-1180)
Starting dose of dexamethasone (mg/kg/day)- median (IQR) 0.17 (0.15-0.48)
IVABx prior to/at dexamethasone commencement (%) 223 (78)
Total fluid intake (mL/kg/day)- median (IQR) 172 (157-180)
PN- N (%) 120 (42)
Enteral feeding - N (%) NBM 8 (2.8)
breastmilk only 255 (89)
formula 20 (6.9)
mixed 4 (1.3)
PDA status- N (%) echo/open 140 (49)
echo/closed 61 (21)
presumed open 33 (11)
presumed closed 53 (19)
Ventilation mode - N (%) HFOV 74 (26)
conventional 213 (74)
MAP (cm H2O) - median (IQR) 12 (10-13)
Average FiO2 24 hours prior to dexamethasone - median (IQR) 0.36 (0.31-0.41)
Average SpO2 in 24 hr prior to dexamethasone - median (IQR) 90 (89-91)
Last pH before starting dexamethasone - median (IQR) 7.29 (7.24-7.33)
Variable Summary stats
Last pCO2 before starting dexamethasone - median (IQR) 57 (51-62)
Last Hb before starting dexamethasone (g/L) - median (IQR) 108 (94-123)
Previous sepsis- N (%) nil 260 (91)
before dexamethasone 20 (7)
within 5 days of starting dexamethasone 7 (2)
Previous airleaks - N (%) nil 221 (77)
pneumothorax 31 (10.8)
PIE 22 (7.6)
both 13 (4.4)
CXR findings - N (%) grade 1 4 (1.4)
grade 2 169 (59)
grade 3 98 (34)
grade 4 16 (5.6)