Objectives: In the submitted study the author evaluates the effect of the early hydrocortisone application immediately after birth on the blood pressure in the premature infants of the birth weight under 1000 g. At the same time an impact of the early hydrocortisone application on the dose of dopamine given to the newborns after birth is questioned. The study also investigates earlymorbidity andmortality (periventricular leucomalatia, exitus, intraventricular haemorrhage). Design of study: Retrospective analysis. Subject: 64 premature infants ELBW of birth weight under 1000 g, born from 1998 to 2000. Results: During the first 48 hours of life, the premature newborns exposed to hydrocortisone had higher mean blood pressure in 21 time episodes from 24 than newborns in the control group (P < 0.01). A significant difference in the minimal level of mean blood pressure during the first 24 hours was found, the treated group having higher values (P = 0.033). In these both groups approximately the same dose of dopamine was given. The frequency of the intraventricular haemorrhages was 2/34 (5.9%) in treated group and 6/30 (20.0%) in non-treated group, not reaching statistical significance (P > 0.05). Mortality was significantly lower in the exposed group 6/34 (17.6%), compared with 13/30 (43.3%) (P = 0.049). The periventricular leucomalatia incidence was 1/34 (2.9%) in the group of treated infants and 1/30 (3.3%) in the group of non-treated (P > 0.05). Conclusion: A significant hydrocortisone effect on the absolute blood pressure values was found. No difference was observed in the dopamine dose in both groups of infants. The infants in the hydrocortisone group presented a significantly lower mortality than infants in the non-hydrocortisone group. Abbreviations: ELBW, extremely low birth weight infants.

        Key words: hydrocortisone, dopamine, blood pressure, extremely low birth weight infants