TY - JOUR
T1 - Betamethasone and the rhesus fetus
T2 - Multisystemic effects
AU - Johnson, J. W.C.
AU - Mitzner, W.
AU - London, W. T.
AU - Palmer, A. E.
AU - Scott, R.
PY - 1979/1/1
Y1 - 1979/1/1
N2 - In this controlled study of betamethasone administration to pregnant rhesus monkeys, using dosages per gram of fetal body weight similar to those reported in several human clinical studies, the most significant fetal pulmonary changes observed were increases in maximum lung volumes. The fact that comparable increases in peak volumes were demonstrated on saline filling supports the authors' contention that these changes are related primarily to lung structural alterations rather than surfactant effects. Additional findings in the treated animals included reduced fetal head circumference, thymus weight, adrenal weight, placental weight, and maternal postoperative weight and increased fetal hepatic weight. Any of these glucocorticoid-induced changes could portend serious side effects. Further studies are needed to delineate the risk:benefit ratio of such treatment.
AB - In this controlled study of betamethasone administration to pregnant rhesus monkeys, using dosages per gram of fetal body weight similar to those reported in several human clinical studies, the most significant fetal pulmonary changes observed were increases in maximum lung volumes. The fact that comparable increases in peak volumes were demonstrated on saline filling supports the authors' contention that these changes are related primarily to lung structural alterations rather than surfactant effects. Additional findings in the treated animals included reduced fetal head circumference, thymus weight, adrenal weight, placental weight, and maternal postoperative weight and increased fetal hepatic weight. Any of these glucocorticoid-induced changes could portend serious side effects. Further studies are needed to delineate the risk:benefit ratio of such treatment.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0018372136&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0018372136&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0002-9378(79)90018-8
DO - 10.1016/0002-9378(79)90018-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 106730
AN - SCOPUS:0018372136
VL - 133
SP - 677
EP - 684
JO - Advances in Water Resources
JF - Advances in Water Resources
SN - 0309-1708
IS - 6
ER -