[Diagnosis and management of respiratory disorders in premature infants]

Neonatal respiratory distress is one of the leading causes of hospitalization of preterm newborns in intensive care units. Regardless of the pathology, initial respiratory support is usually delivered nasally (non-invasive ventilation), with intubation now being much less common than in previous decades, even for the most extremely preterm babies.The most frequent respiratory pathology is respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) also termed hyaline membrane disease. It is prevented by antenatal corticosteroid therapy and very effectively treated by the administration of exogenous surfactant directly in the lungs. Apnea of prematurity can last for a long time and partly explains the need for prolonged hospitalization in intensive care units. The major risk is the progression toward bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic respiratory disease of preterm babies which can have longer-term consequences. In the very long term, this pathology is likely to promote the development of adult chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.