Hydrocortisone treatment for severe evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia and cerebral haemodynamics

We read with interest the paper by Rademaker et al , in which the authors raised the question of replacing dexamethasone with hydrocortisone to treat severe evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).1 In 2006, a national survey revealed that 91% of French neonatologists used betamethasone for delayed treatment of BPD. From October 2004 to June 2006, we treated 12 infants with betamethasone for severe evolving BPD and observed a pronounced decrease in cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFVs).2 Moreover, a quarter of these patients also …