A double-blind, randomized, controlled study of a "stress dose" of hydrocortisone for rescue treatment of refractory hypotension in preterm infants.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a "stress dose" of hydrocortisone for rescue treatment of refractory hypotension and adrenocortical insufficiency of prematurity in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. We hypothesized that significantly more VLBW infants who were receiving dopamine > or =10 microg/kg per min could wean off vasopressor support 72 hours after treatment with hydrocortisone.

Methods: A double-blind, randomized, controlled study was conducted in a university neonatal center.