EFFECT OF CORTICOSTEROIDS ON THE MATURATION OF NEUTROPHIL MOTILITY INVERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT NEONATES

Neutrophil-(PMN) chemotaxis and chemokinesis were longitudinally studi ed in a group of 17 neonates with birthweights between 750 and 1250 g. Five of the 17 neonates were treated with prenatal betamethasone to a ttempt to prevent hyaline membrane disease, six received postnatal dex amethasone in an effort to reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia, three re ceived both, and three were not treated with corticosteroids. The grou p of 17 neonates were tested on four separate occasions: (1-2, 3-4, 7- 8, and 10-14 postnatal days). PMN chemotaxis and chemokinesis were det ermined using a standard micropore filter assay. A group of 36 adults was used as additional controls. There were no significant differences noted in PMN chemotaxis or chemokinesis for the corticosteroid vs the noncorticosteroid-treated groups. In the total group of 17 neonates, there was depression in PMN chemotaxis compared with adult values, whi ch lasted at least through postnatal day 8. By day 13 to 14, PMN chemo tactic values were similar to those of adults. In contrast, chemokines is, was depressed during the initial 14 days (except for the first 2 p ostnatal days). These data suggest that perinatal corticosteroid admin istration does not affect PMN motility in newborn infants.