Surfactant in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

Respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn infant is still the most common problem in nursery and major cause of neonatal mortality. Surfactant deficiency is a major factor in the pathogenesis of RDS. The induction of pulmonary surfactant with maternally administered steroids plays an important role in reducing the incidence of this disease. Combination of betamethasone plus TRH for the prevention of RDS will prove not only more effective for acceleration of fetal lung maturation, it may also decrease the interval that is required between administration of the hormone and delivery. The most exciting recent advance in management of RDS appears to be administration of exogenous surfactant. Administration of natural bovine surfactant resulted in remarkable improvement in pulmonary status in RDS. Whereas surfactant replacement offers great clinical promise, the ideal preparation and the amount, time, and method of administration remain under study. It thus seems likely that in the future both hormonal enhancement of lung maturation and surfactant therapy may be used in combination to further reduce the morbidity and mortality from RDS