Glucocorticoids and beta-adrenergic-receptor agonists: their combined effect on fetal rabbit lung surfactant

In a previous study on pregnant rabbits (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1983; 147:437) we found that a prolonged infusion of the beta 2-adrenergic-receptor agonist terbutaline would first cause a release of fetal pulmonary surfactant, so that more was available in the airways. However, the airway fluid then contained less surfactant, indicating a depletion of stores. Since terbutaline is often used in high doses as a tocolytic agent, surfactant depletion could be a serious side effect. With further studies on rabbits, we wanted to test the hypothesis that with an accelerated surfactant synthesis, achieved with glucocorticoids, the increased release, evoked with the terbutaline, would never cause a depletion of the surfactant stores. Our results supported this hypothesis. Betamethasone, administered to the pregnant doe on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh days of gestation, 0.1 mg/kg, increased compliance of the fetal lungs, and more phospholipid phosphorus could be lavaged from the airways. These effects were further increased when, following steroid administration, the doe was infused with terbutaline. Depletion of the surfactant stores was never seen when betamethasone was given prior to the beta-adrenergic-receptor agonist.