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Am J Perinatol 2011; 28(8): 605-612
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1276734
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Betamethasone Worsens Chorioamnionitis-Related Lung Development Impairment in Rabbits

Nicolas Joram1 , 2 , Elise Launay1 , 2 , Jean-Christophe Roze1 , Jocelyne Caillon2 , Marie-Laure Franco-Montoya3 , 4 , Jacques Bourbon3 , 5 , Pierre-Henry Jarreau4 , 5 , 6 , Christèle Gras-Le Guen1 , 2
  • 1CIC mère-enfant, Children's Hospital, CHU Nantes, Creteil
  • 2School of medicine; UPRES EA 3826, Nantes, Creteil
  • 3Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, INSERM U955, Creteil
  • 4Faculté de Pharmacie, INSERM U767, Paris, France
  • 5PremUP, Paris, France
  • 6CHU Port-Royal, Service de néonatologie, Paris, France
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 April 2011 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Although chorioamnionitis and glucocorticoids (GC) are both known to have potential adverse effects on alveolar development, the use of GC is generalized because of their demonstrated benefits in premature newborns. The objective of this study was to analyze the cumulative effects of GC and chorioamnionitis on lung development and infectious process. In a model of Escherichia coli chorioamnionitis controlled by antibiotics, pregnant rabbits were randomized among five groups: (1) E. coli infection alone, (2) infection plus one betamethasone injection (0.1 mg.kg−1), (3) infection plus two betamethasone injections, (4) betamethasone alone, (5) control. Lung morphometric analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage, and bacteriologic tissue cultures were performed after spontaneous delivery. In the context of chorioamnionitis, one betamethasone treatment significantly decreased birth weight and lung volume versus controls (30 ± 1.40 versus 52.40 ± 2.54 g, and 1.92 ± 0.67 versus 2.15 ± 0.74 cm3, respectively, p < 0.05). Two betamethasone treatments significantly decreased specific alveolar area (279.8 ± 46 cm2/100 g versus 510.90 ± 54.1 cm2/100 g), specific interstitium volume (0.98 ± 0.09 cm3/100 g versus 1.78 ± 0.16 cm3/100 g), and specific elastin fiber length (57.4 ± 10.5 versus 183.6 ± 8.1 cm/100 g). These results suggest that glucocorticoid treatment might represent an additional risk factor for lung development in the instance of prenatal infection.

KEYWORDS

Bronchodysplasia - chorioamnionitis - glucocorticoids - lung development

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Nicolas Joram

CHU Nantes, CIC mère-enfant, 38 boulevard Jean Monnet

Nantes 44093, France

Email: nicolas.joram@chu-nantes.fr

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