Pulmonary effects of triiodothyronine (T3) and hydrocortisone (HC) supplementation in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestation: results of the THORN trial--thyroid hormone replacement in neonates.

The THORN trial was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to test the hypothesis that administration of triiodothyronine (T(3)) and hydrocortisone would decrease mortality and respiratory morbidity in preterm infants of less than 30 wk gestation. Two hundred fifty-three infants were randomized to receive either 6 micro g.kg(-1).

A longitudinal assessment of thyroid hormone concentrations in preterm infants younger than 30 weeks' gestation during the first 2 weeks of life and their relationship to outcome.

Objective: This trial examined the effects of triiodothyronine (T3) and hydrocortisone on lung disease. We present here the placebo data as this provides a natural history of thyroid hormone changes in this group of very preterm infants. We also examined the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and the outcome death and ventilator dependence at 2 weeks.