Cardiac autonomic balance in neonates after antenatal betamethasone administration

Introduction: Beneficial effects of antenatal glucocorticoid treatment in pregnancies at risk for preterm delivery may entail long-term consequences for the establishment of sympathoadrenergic system balance. We analyzed the cardiac autonomic system activity in neonates with a single course of antenatal betamethasone (2×12mg) treatment. Methods: Time-domain and frequency-domain parameters for heart rate variability (HRV) were analyzed from 24h ECG recordings in 23 treated neonates and compared to 23 controls. Resting and challenged salivary α-amylase levels were measured in exposed neonates and controls. Results…