Postasphyxial lung disease in newborn infants with severe perinatal acidosis

The pulmonary course and respiratory management of 65 asphyxiated infants with at least one arterial pH less than or equal to 7.00 within the first 2 hours of life was determined. Asphyxia in the preterm and term infants in the absence of respiratory distress syndrome or meconium aspiration syndrome was associated with a transient respiratory insufficiency requiring assisted ventilation which markedly improved in the first 24 hours of life. In contrast, infants with asphyxia complicated by respiratory distress syndrome or meconium aspiration syndrome developed profound lung disease including pulmonary hemorrhage and persistence of the fetal circulation. The course of their illness was significantly worse than control infants without asphyxia. Ineffective neonatal resuscitation allowing for the development of meconium aspiration syndrome and persistent respiratory acidosis contributed to the severity of illness in more than 50% of the infants. Central nervous system pathologic conditions were present in asphyxiated infants with and without severe pulmonary disease. We conclude that severe asphyxia in the absence of underlying lung disease results in a predictable postasphyxial transient respiratory insufficiency, with marked improvement in the first 24 hours of life.