[The effects of glucocorticoid treatment during pregnancy on lecithin synthesis in the fetal rat lung (author's transl)].

In the course of investigations in pregnant rats the authors established that the effect of prednisolone-sodium succinate on the maturation of the fetal lung depends on the dose administered and/or on the time at which it was given. The prednisolone only increased the surface-active lecithin concentration - thus accelerating the functional maturation of the lung - if it was given on the 17th or 18th day of gestation, in a dose of 1.0 mg/kg or 2.0 mg/kg. A dose of 0.5 mg/kg had no effect, while a high dose not only inhibited lecithin synthesis but also caused significant side-effects. The authors point out that the glucocorticoids only have a favorable effect on lung maturation if administered during a certain period in their development, and link this to the maturation process of the specific cortisol receptors in the lung. They also point out the potential danger of glucocorticoids administered to prevent dyspnea and emphasize the importance of determining the lowest effective dose of the various synthetic preparations and/or the optimum time for giving them. They raise the question of whether there is also an ideal time for glucocorticoid treatment in human pregnancies.