In this Daily Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a massive Swedish national cohort study from JAMA Network Open examining early prophylactic hydrocortisone in extremely preterm infants. They discuss the targeted regimens used, differences in gestational age outcomes, and whether a blanket prophylactic approach is truly effective for preventing BPD. With impressive data covering 98% of all NICU admissions in Sweden, the hosts debate the nuances of targeting 24 to 25-weekers versus older preemies and the potential confounding impact of chorioamnionitis. Tune in for your daily snack of evidence-based medicine and insights into optimizing NICU steroid protocols!

----

Early Prophylactic Hydrocortisone and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia-Free Survival in Extremely Preterm Infants. Smedbäck V, Björklund LJ, Flisberg A, Wróblewska J, Baud O, Wejryd E, Ådén U.JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Feb 2;9(2):e2560146. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.60146.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!