Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
Published on: March 6, 2019
Meconium aspiration syndrome: risk factors and predictors of severity
Cláudia Patrícia Lourenço Oliveira1, Filipa Flôr-de-Lima2, Gustavo Marcondes Duarte Rocha2
1a Faculty of Medicine , Porto University , Porto , Portugal.
Purpose:
To identify risk factors and predictors of severity associated with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) in the patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Materials And Methods:
Retrospective study including newborns admitted, between 2005 and 2015, with a diagnosis of MAS.
Results:
Of the newborns admitted to the NICU, 0.66% were diagnosed with MAS. These had higher prevalence of caesarean delivery (p < .001), nonreassuring or abnormal cardiotocography (CTG) (p < .001), intrapartum maternal fever (p = .002), Apgar scores at the first minute <7 (p < .001) and need of endotracheal intubation at birth (p < .001). Newborns with severe MAS had higher median reactive C protein (86.9 versus 9.65, p = .001) and 73.3% had pulmonary hypertension (p = .027). They required significantly more days of oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, nitric oxide, inotropic, and surfactant therapy, as well as longer hospital stay.
Conclusions:
Nonreassuring or abnormal CTG and low Apgar score at the first minute were established as risk factors for MAS and need of surfactant therapy as a predictor of severity.
Related Concept Videos
Esophageal Strictures-I: Introduction
Etiology
The primary cause of esophageal strictures is long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), accounting for about 70 to 80% of adult cases. Chronic acid reflux can lead to injury and scarring of the esophageal lining, culminating in...
Mitral Stenosis I: Introduction
Assessment of the Rectum and Anus
Rectal Inspection
Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...
Acute Respiratory Failure-III

