THE ADDITION OF INDOMETHACIN TO BETAMIMETICS FOR TOCOLYSIS - ANY BENEFIT FOR THE NEONATE

Objective: To study the influence on the neonate of indomethacin admin istered to the mother as an additional tocolytic. Study design: The ne onatal outcome in 76 closely matched low birth weight infants was comp ared retrospectively: those whose mothers received indomethacin togeth er with betamimetics formed the study group, those whose mothers recei ved only betamimetics formed the control group. Results: There was an increased incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the stud y group (97% versus 45%; P<0.001), an increased need for surfactant us e (68% versus 26%; P<0.001) and increased ventilatory support, and an increased incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (47% versus 24 %; P=0.03). Gestation could not be prolonged significantly by the addi tion of indomethacin. Conclusion: Indomethacin as an additional tocoly tic agent was associated with an increased incidence of RDS, surfactan t use and BPD but did not significantly prolong gestation. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ireland Ltd.