Neonatal neurodevelopmental outcomes following tocolysis with glycerol trinitrate patches

Objective The object of this study was to determine the effects of maternal tocolysis with glycerol trinitrate (GTN) patches on the neurodevelopment of infants. Study design This was a randomized, multicenter, controlled trial comparing the efficacy of GTN patches with standard β2 agonist as tocolytic therapy. The previously reported outcomes of this study indicated no difference in neonatal mortality or morbidity to hospital discharge. One hundred fifty-six surviving infants from 2 Australian centers were psychometrically assessed using the Griffiths Mental development Scales (revised) at 18 months of age. Results There was no difference in psychometric performance between those infants enrolled in either the GTN (81 infants) or β2 agonist (75 infants) arm of the study. Conclusion This randomized trial supports no significant difference between GTN patches in comparison with standard β2 agonist for tocolytic therapy. The results underscore the association between premature labor and adverse infant outcomes.