[PAH clearance measurement without urine samples in the newborn infant with respiratory distress]

PAH clearance was carried out in 12 newborns, hospitalized in the infantile resuscitation unit for respiratory distress. 6 of these children weighed less than 2.5 kg, 4 had hyaline membrane disease, 6 had either amniotic abnormalities or transitory tachypnea, 2 were surgical patients: one right diaphragmatic hernia, one post-operative respiratory complication after intervention for neonatal occlusion. In 9 cases the newborn was under controled artificial ventilation associated with PEEP at 5 to 7 cm of water. In all of the cases, the hemodynamic, metabolic and blood gas conditions were normal. A control series of 11 newnorn was carried out in a pediatric unit, the clearance was done without urine samples, the rough value of the figures found varied from 5.5 ml per minute to 30 ml per minute in the respiratory distress series and 16 to 62 ml per minute in the control series. The analysis of these results in rendered difficult by the juxtaposition of several factors: Choice of a reference criterion: body surface area, PAH space, patient's weight theoretical weight of the kidneys. The factor of prematurity. The problem of the date of the investigation in comparison with the date of birth.