date of birth or record number) were excluded. Trials where the death(fetal al/neonatal): method of randomisation was not specified in detail were included in the expectation that their inclusion in this review will encourage .respiratory distress syndrome(RDS) the authors to make available further information on the method of moderate/severe rds andomisation. Trials where non-randomised cohort amal. gamated with randomised subjects were excluded if the results of chronic lung disease(need for continuous supplemental oxy- the randomised subjects could not be separated out. Trials which n at 28 days postnatal age or 36 weeks postmenstrual age, tested the effect of corticosteroids along with other co-interven- tions were also excluded. Trials in which placebo was not used cerebroventricular haemorrhage(diagnosed by ultrasound, di- in the control group were included as were trials in which pos- agnosed by autopsy trandomisation exclusions occurred. Published, unpublished and randomised trials with reported data were included. severe cerebroventricular haemorrhage; Types of pa Women, with a singleton or multiple pregnancy, expected to de- For the child preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes or elective preterm,由 delivery neurodevelopmental disability at follow up(blindness, deafness, Typ moderate/ severe cerebral palsy (however defined by authors),or development delay/intellectual impairment(defined as devel- A corticosteroid capable of crossing the placenta(betamethasone, opmental quotient or intelligence quotient less than-2 standard dexamethasone, hydrocortisone) compared with placebo or with deviation below population mean)) treatment. Data from trials involving the use of methyl-pred- nisolone(Block 1977: Schmidt 1984)were discarded, as this cor- For the child as adult ticosteroid has not been shown to induce maturation in animal death 1977). Predefined subgroups were planned to separately examine . neurodevelopmental disability at follow up(blindness, deafnes primary outcomes in women and infants depending on the spe moderate/ severe cerebral palsy(however defined by authors) cific drug used. evelopment delay/intellectual impairment( defined as devel- Primary outcomes chosen were those which were thought to be the deviation below population cdp orient less than-2 standard opmental quotient or intelligence qu Types of outcome measures most clinically valuable in assessing effectiveness and safety of the Secondary outcomes treatment for the woman and her offspring. Secondary outcomes For the included possible complications and other of effective. fever after trial entry requiring the use of antibiotics which the outcomes were considere intrapartum fever women/mother: natal fever; fetus/neonate: admission to intensive care unit: ● child side-effects of therapy; child as adult: glucose intolerance(however defined by authors) ● health services. hypertension(however defined by authors Primary outcomes For the fetus/neonate Apgar score less than seven at five minutes interval between trial entry and birth amnionitis(however defined by authors) puerperal sepsis(however defined by authors) mean head circumference at birth mean skin fold thickness at birth Antenatal corticosteroids for accelerating fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth( Review) Copyright @2006 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John wiley& Sons, Ltd 第98页date of birth or record number) were excluded. Trials where the method of randomisation was not specified in detail wereincluded in theexpectation that theirinclusion in this review willencourage theauthorstomakeavailablefurtherinformation on themethod of randomisation. Trials where non-randomised cohorts were amal￾gamated with randomised subjects were excluded if the results of the randomised subjects could not be separated out. Trials which tested the effect of corticosteroids along with other co-interven￾tions were also excluded. Trials in which placebo was not used in the control group were included as were trials in which pos￾trandomisation exclusions occurred. Published, unpublished and ongoing randomised trials with reported data were included. Types of participants Women, with a singleton or multiple pregnancy, expected to de￾liver preterm as a result of either spontaneous preterm labour, preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes or elective preterm delivery. Types of intervention A corticosteroid capable of crossing the placenta (betamethasone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone) compared with placebo or with no treatment. Data from trials involving the use of methyl-pred￾nisolone (Block 1977; Schmidt 1984) were discarded, as this cor￾ticosteroid has not been shown to induce maturation in animal models and is known to have altered placental transfer (Block 1977). Predefined subgroups were planned to separately examine primary outcomes in women and infants depending on the spe￾cific drug used. Types of outcome measures Primary outcomeschosenwerethosewhichwerethought to bethe most clinically valuable in assessing effectiveness and safety of the treatment for the woman and her offspring. Secondary outcomes included possible complications and other measures of effective￾ness. Groups in which the outcomes were considered: • women/mother; • fetus/neonate; • child; • child as adult; • health services. Primary outcomes For the woman: • death; • chorioamnionitis (however defined by authors); • puerperal sepsis (however defined by authors). For the fetus/neonate: • death (fetal/neonatal); • respiratory distress syndrome (RDS); • moderate/severe RDS; • chronic lung disease (need for continuous supplemental oxy￾gen at 28 days postnatal age or 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age, whichever was later); • cerebroventricular haemorrhage (diagnosed by ultrasound, di￾agnosed by autopsy); • severe cerebroventricular haemorrhage; • mean birthweight. For the child: • death; • neurodevelopmental disability atfollowup (blindness, deafness, moderate/severecerebral palsy (however defined by authors), or development delay/intellectual impairment (defined as devel￾opmental quotient or intelligence quotient less than -2 standard deviation below population mean)). For the child as adult: • death; • neurodevelopmental disability atfollowup (blindness, deafness, moderate/severecerebral palsy (however defined by authors), or development delay/intellectual impairment (defined as devel￾opmental quotient or intelligence quotient less than -2 standard deviation below population mean)). Secondary outcomes For the woman: • fever after trial entry requiring the use of antibiotics; • intrapartum fever requiring the use of antibiotics; • postnatal fever; • admission to intensive care unit; • side-effects of therapy; • glucose intolerance (however defined by authors); • hypertension (however defined by authors). For the fetus/neonate: • Apgar score less than seven at five minutes; • interval between trial entry and birth; • mean length at birth; • mean head circumference at birth; • mean skin fold thickness at birth; Antenatal corticosteroids for accelerating fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth (Review) 4 Copyright © 2006 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 第 98 页