Diprolene
Occipitofrontal circumference in newborns of betamethasone treated mothers.

Verder H, Kjer JJ, Hess J, Gildsig K.

Celestona (betamethasone-disodiumphosphate) and Celeston (betamethasone-acetat + betamethasone-disodiumphosphate) given intramuscularly to pregnant women in order to reduce the frequency of respiratory distress syndrome does not reduce the occipitofrontal circumference of the newborn infants. Before the results from the actual work were available an impeding effect of the evolution of the brain was found in the light of animal experiments. The material is comprised of 52 newborn infants whose mothers were treated with Celestona 8 mg daily for 3 days and 46 infants treated with Celeston 12 mg daily for 3 days. The untreated population comprises 1012 newborn infants. Excluded were non-caucasian infants, twins, stillborns and cases of uncertain gestational age. The occipitofrontal circumference in normal infants and those infants treated with betamethasone were compared in Figs. 2 and 3. Focusing only upon cases in which corticoids were given more than 7 days before delivery and in which no placental dysfunction was diagnosed, no differences from the normal were found (Tabs. II and III, and Figs. 3 A and B).

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6668528&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
Serum estriol level during treatment with betamethasone in the last trimester of human pregnancy.

Kjer JJ, Hess J.

A comparison was made between betamethasone disodiumphosphate/betamethasone acetate (Celeston) and betamethasone disodiumphosphate (Celestona) in antenatally prophylactic treatment of respiratory distress syndrome syndrome (RDS). Altogether 65 pregnant women in the last trimester of pregnancy were treated with the first-mentioned drug and 62 with the second. The RDS-preventive effect was the same in the two groups. Celeston has a much longer depressive effect on the level of plasma estriol than has Celestona. Use of this drug, betamethasone disodiumphosphate, is therefore recommended in the prophylaxis against RDS.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6688914&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
Postnatal increase in airway surfactant in the premature rabbit exposed in utero to betamethasone.

Ward JA, Erenberg A, Roberts RJ.

In utero exposure to betamethasone on days 26 and 27 of gestation resulted in a significant increase in lung lavage phospholipid after 24 h of air breathing in rabbit pups delivered at 29 days of gestation. At 6 h of age, the proportion of type II epithelial cells in betamethasone-exposed newborns was nearly twice the saline-exposed control value. Phospholipid composition and pressure:volume analysis of compliance were both unaffected by betamethasone treatment. The betamethasone-associated increase in airway phospholipid content was observed only in female pups. These data support the conclusion that antenatal betamethasone treatment elicits an increase in airway phospholipid which is dependent on breathing and confined to the female newborn.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6688984&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
The effect of betamethasone and fetal sex on the synthesis and maturation of lung surfactant phospholipids in rabbits.

Freese WB, Hallman M.

In the present study we investigated the maturation of the surfactant phospholipids and the role of fetal sex on the effect of betamethasone in male and female rabbit fetuses. Betamethasone was administered to the doe (0.2 mg/kg intramuscularly) 42 and 18 h prior to killing. The fetuses were studied at 27 and 28 days from conception. Results from the alveolar lavage show that male fetuses tended to have a lower disaturated phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin ratio and lower levels of phosphatidylinositol. Phosphatidylglycerol was detected in trace amounts. This was apparently due to the high extracellular levels of myo-inositol inhibiting the synthesis of surfactant phosphatidylglycerol while increasing the synthesis of surfactant phosphatidylinositol. Betamethasone increased the recovery of disaturated phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol from the lung lavage in both sexes. As studied in lung slices in vitro, the betamethasone treatment decreased the incorporation of glucose into phospholipids, including into the fatty acid moiety of disaturated phosphatidylcholine, although it had no significant effect on the incorporation of glucose into the glycerol moiety of disaturated phosphatidylcholine. However, the addition of palmitate increased the incorporation of glucose into the glycerol moiety of disaturated phosphatidylcholine. The betamethasone treatment did not increase the incorporation of [1-14C]pyruvate into disaturated phosphatidylcholine. Following betamethasone administration, the availability of fatty acids may become rate-limiting for the synthesis of surfactant phospholipids. Betamethasone increased the activities of phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase and phosphatidate cytidyltransferase in a fraction of microsomal membranes. The present evidence suggests that the glucocorticoid-induced lung maturation and the maturation of the normal lung are associated with an increase in the activity of the enzymes which are involved in metabolizing phosphatidic acid to neutral and acidic surfactant secretion of the male fetus was not explained by possible sex-related differences in the biosynthesis of the phospholipids.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6824716&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF



Diprolene
Efficacy of early systemic betamethasone or cyclosporin A after corneal alkali injury via inflammatory cytokine reduction.

Den S, Sotozono C, Kinoshita S, Ikeda T.

Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan. seika yacht.ocn.ne.jp

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of early systemic administration of betamethasone or cyclosporin A (CsA) on inflammatory cytokine expression and corneal damage after alkali injury. METHODS: Sixty-five Wistar rat corneas injured with 1N NaOH were divided into three groups: untreated, betamethasone-treated and CsA-treated. Both agents were administered systemically and daily during the first 7 days after injury. Interleukin (IL)-1alpha, -6 and -8 concentrations in the injured corneas were measured with ELISA at 2, 4 and 7 days after injury. Corneal damage was evaluated by scoring clinical findings. RESULTS: In untreated injured corneas, IL-1alpha, -6 and -8 were markedly elevated during the 7-day period following injury. Both betamethasone and CsA significantly suppressed IL-1alpha and IL-8 at day 4. Only betamethasone significantly suppressed IL-6 at days 4 and 7. Both agents significantly reduced corneal opacity at day 4. CONCLUSION: Early systemic administration of betamethasone or CsA after alkali injury may be of benefit by suppressing inflammatory cytokine expression in the cornea.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15043540&dopt=Abstract betamethasone Diprolene AF