The New England journal of medicine
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Comparative Study
Antenatal glucocorticoid treatment and cystic periventricular leukomalacia in very premature infants.
Antenatal glucocorticoid therapy decreases the incidence of several complications among very premature infants. However, its effect on the occurrence of cystic periventricular leukomalacia, a major cause of cerebral palsy, remains unknown. ⋯ Antenatal exposure to betamethasone but not dexamethasone is associated with a decreased risk of cystic periventricular leukomalacia among very premature infants.
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Body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) is known to be associated with overall mortality. We investigated the effects of age, race, sex, smoking status, and history of disease on the relation between body-mass index and mortality. ⋯ The risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other diseases increases throughout the range of moderate and severe overweight for both men and women in all age groups. The risk associated with a high body-mass index is greater for whites than for blacks.