APGAR scores, respiratory distress syndrome and salbutamol

In parallel studies at St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth, in which women presenting in premature labour at 20 to 36 weeks' gestation were treated with salbutamol by mouth (208 women) or by parenteral administration (20 women), the prevention of low apgar scores was significant (P less than 0.01) if the dose-delivery interval was less than four hours and the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was significant (P less than 0.05) if the dose-delivery interval was less than three hours.